Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden
by Gallantmon of the Hazard
Summary: Sailor Moon/Sword Art Online multi-crossover. There are many untold stories in the Sailor Moon Online universes...until now. Now, the untold 'tales' of this fanfiction series are now told like how Serena/Usagi got her famous cloak, the tales of the Digital Knights in Aincrad, and so many more. Now, these 'stories' are now told...
1. Story 1: Little White Valkyrie

Hello, everyone! If you are reading this, then you have just started to read the latest story…or should I say, STORIES from the **Sailor Moon Online** fanfiction universe. And what I mean is that this is a series of one-shot to short stories that weren't told in the 'main' **Sailor Moon Online** series of stories namely **Sailor Moon Online, Sailor Moon Online: Shadow of Aincrad, SAO Shippuden** , and the 'movie' story that takes place in-between Arc II and Arc III of **SAO Shippuden: Alternating Scales** , which is in-development. This 'group of tales' also have stories from the **Hollow Fragment** series of stories AKA **Sailor Moon Online: Hollow Fragment, World's Song,** and the in-development and upcoming **SAO Beyond**.

Next, what do I mean by 'short stories'? I think that it explains itself, but to be more detailed, these are stories that fill more than one chapter, but they don't go beyond three chapters at the most…at least I hope to keep it that way. Now, just to let you know, I won't be putting them in any kind of order. Let's say that I tell a story that's connected with the timeline of **Sailor Moon Online** story and then I might move onto a story that takes place somewhere in the story timeframe of **World's Song**. However, I will be giving notes on when in the **Sailor Moon Online** 'timeline' that these stories are going to be taking place.

Finally, I have a lot of ideas for short stories to put in this and as you may already know, I've put up a pole to ask on which story ideas I should do for this 'series'. Remember to vote and tell me what you want to see, everyone! Also, send me ideas on what you want to see, but please make them reasonable, okay?

Now, one more thing in which I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 1: Little White Valkyrie**

 **Note:** This story takes place after the end of **Chapter 1** , but before the start of **Chapter 2** of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **November 9, 2022, Aincrad, Floor 1**_

 **Usagi's POV**

As I race through the fields of the first floor of this castle, which now has become my virtual prison along with whoever is left of the ten thousand people that have been trapped in here, I keep thinking back to that day…That horrible day three days ago when we found out that this has become our 'new reality'...

Flashback; November 6, 2022

 **Third Person's/Narrator's POV**

Right now, Usagi is on a balcony of a building in the Town of Beginnings looking up at the virtual 'sky', which is the roof of this floor of the massive floating virtual castle of Aincrad, as it has become filled panels that either say 'Warning' or 'System Announcement' in which she witnesses a massive red robe figure without a face in the hood of the robe come down from the virtual skies. Usagi says, "Hold on! That's… That's the clothing of a SAO GM! Sammy told me about them!"

Just then the massive avatar says, in a male voice, "Attention players! I, welcome you, to my world!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, recognizing the voice, _"Wait! Uncle Kayaba?!"_

The massive avatar says, "My name is Akihiko Kayaba and as of this moment, I am in control of this world." Usagi wanted to call out to the avatar, but something in her gut told her not to and the massive avatar says, "I'm sure that most of you have noticed something missing from your main menus: The Logout button." The massive avatar creates a player menu in front of him and he says, "Let me assure you, this is not a defect in the game. I repeat: This is not a defect. This is how Sword Art Online was designed to be."

Usagi gasps in shock and she thinks, stunned, _"Uncle Kayaba, what are you saying?!"_

The massive avatar says, "You cannot log yourselves and no one from the outside will be able to remove the NervGear from your head. If anyone attempts to, your NervGear will discharge a microwave signal into your brain, destroying it, and ending your life."

Usagi becomes completely horrified and she thinks, shocked, _"No! No, uncle! What are you saying? What are you doing?!"_

The massive avatar then says, "Despite my warning, the friends and family of some players attempted to remove the NervGear and as a result, the game has two hundred and thirteen less players. They have been deleted from both Aincard and the real world." Usagi gives a look of pure horror and the massive avatar says, creating dozens of holographic images of news reports from television, internet, and print showing reports about what's unfolding in the 'real world', "As you can see, there is round the clock news coverage including the deaths. At this point, the likely hood of a NervGear being removed is minimum at best. I hope this brings you a little comfort as you complete the game. It is important to remember the following: There is no longer any way to revive anyone in the game. If your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be deleted… and your NervGear will simultaneously destroy your brain."

Usagi stumbles backwards, shakes her head in disbelief, and she thinks, completely horrified, _"No… No! Uncle Kayaba, what have you done? Why are you doing this?!"_

The massive avatar, supposed Akihiko Kayaba, then says, "There is only one way to escape now. You must clear the game." The massive avatar then displays a hologram of the floating castle of Aincrad and it says, "Right now, you are gathered on floor one, the lowest level of Aincrad. If you get through the dungeon and defeat the boss, you will be allowed to advance to the next floor. Defeat the boss at one hundredth floor and you clear the game!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"But… But how?! Sammy told me himself! The beta testers only managed to get to the sixth to tenth floors! I'm not sure with his bragging and teasing me during the beta testing, but I know that they didn't even clear the first tenth of this game!"_

The massive avatar then says, "And last, but not least. I have placed in the item storage of every player. Have a look." Usagi goes through her player menu and she finds in her item area, there is an item that says 'mirror' in it. She gives it form and a small mirror takes form in her hand in which she looks inside to see her avatar's face. Just then she gasps and yelps as she is glowing and the light is bright that she is unable to see for a few moments. When she opens her eyes and she looks in the mirror, she gasps to see her face in real life reflected in the mirror with her long blond hair flowing since she couldn't keep it in her classic pigtails while using the NervGear. Usagi says, "That's my face! What I look like in real life! But how?! I don't get…!" Usagi then gasps as she remembers a while ago when Ami explained about the NervGear and about how it has a powerful scanning feature which she didn't play close attention, but she still remembers. Usagi says, "Okay, it explains how it knows my face." When Usagi looks over herself and she sees that her body, under her current clothing, looks exactly like it does in real life, she asks, "But how can it get my body exactly as it does?" Usagi then remembers about when she used the NervGear for the first time and how the other Sailor Scouts, who also got NervGears before SAO came, also talked about 'calibration' and she thinks, _"Does it means that when we touched our bodies, it got our physical data?! Uncle Kayaba is a genius, so, I wouldn't put it by him to figure out a way to get every bit of physical data about the users of his NervGear!"_ Usagi shakes her head and she thinks, in complete disbelief, _"But why? Why is Uncle Kayaba doing this?!"_

As if to answer Usagi's question, the massive avatar says, "Right now, you must be thinking: Why? Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of Sword Art Online and the NervGear do this? An act of terrorism? An elaborate kidnapping to exact ransom money? I can assure you that this is nothing of the sort. The answer is simple: I created Sword Art Online was control of a fate of a world of my design."

Usagi thinks in her mind, completely horrified, _"Do you how insane that sounds, Uncle Kayaba?!"_

The massive avatar then says, "As you can see, I have achieved my goal. This concludes the tutorial phase of Sword Art Online. I wish you the best of luck dear players." Soon after, the massive avatar turns into virtual smoke and fades into the virtual sky which returns to its original form soon after and Usagi and all of the players in the main plaza stay their silent in disbelief, but Usagi knew that this was no joke and no gag. She was no technological genius to say the least, but she knew that her uncle, Akihiko Kayaba, was a genius of a level to do such a thing and she knew that everything that this avatar that was said to be her uncle is the completely and utter truth. She completely realizes that if she dies here, she will die in real life! Just then Usagi can hear massive screams and yells of horror, fear, anger, and disbelief in which she falls to her knees and her avatar's eyes now flow with virtual tears.

Usagi says, weakly, "How could you? How could you, Uncle Kayaba?" Usagi then starts to cry and wail in which she screams out, "How could you do this?! How could you?! This was a wonderful dream that we were supposed to share with everyone! A new world for everyone to love and enjoy! A new frontier! And now… Now, you have turned it into a nightmare!" Usagi holds herself and she thinks, in complete disbelief and horror, _"This has to be a horrible dream! A nightmare!"_ However, Usagi knows that this is happening for real despite it being a virtual world. She is trapped in a virtual world with close to ten thousand other people and over two hundred are already dead because her uncle, Akihiko Kayaba, who had turned this, the first VRMMO, into a 'death game'. She collapses to her knees and she thinks in her mind, pure fear and horror on her face, _"Mom… dad… Ami-chan… Mina-chan… Raye-chan… Lita-chan… Amara-chan… Hotaru-chan… Michelle-chan… Trista-chan… DARIEN-KUN! Someone help me! Save me! Please! Someone save us! Help us, please!"_ Usagi then falls into a fetal position and cries her virtual eyes out as she can't believe that someone that she has loved and trusted like a second father has committed such a heinous and senseless act of pure horror.

End Flashback; Return to the Present

 **Usagi's POV**

For three days, I was like a ghost or something. I felt numb and my heart been torn to shreds. I had hoped and prayed that this was some kind of horrible nightmare or prank, but it wasn't. Despite it being virtual, this was a cold, hard reality. This was supposed to be a game…A GAME! A place where people have fun and enjoy themselves in which this kind of game was supposed to be a 'new frontier' or something like that, but now…Now, it is a living nightmare prison. And it has become more clear at what happened at Blackiron Palace. From what I know, that was the area where players that 'died' were supposed to be 'revived', but now, there is a giant stone monument known as the Monument of Life there and there are all of our names on it. When a person dies, his or her name is crossed out and the player's time of death and cause is printed on it. The first person, three hours after the official start of this 'death game', came when a person, unbelieving of what my uncle said, jumped off the edge of Aincrad where he vanished into the world below. His name was crossed off and the words 'fell from a great height' were etched by his crossed out name.

The other players might have a hard time believing that he is dead, but I know better. I know that he is dead. I know the horrible genius that's my uncle: Akihiko Kayaba, the inventor of the first household Full-Dive VR system, the NervGear. I was the one to get the very first one ever and I cherished it with all of my heart. Now, it has become the blade around my neck.

I hoped that Ami-chan, Trista-chan, or both of them could have figured a way out of this, but I knew…I knew that it wouldn't be easy for them. My uncle was that level of genius that could stump even Ami-chan and she is the Sailor Scout of Wisdom for crying out loud! Ami-chan and Trista-chan told me about the complexities of the NervGear and I…um…followed the best that I could, but I kind of leave that…technical stuff to people like my uncle, Ami-chan, and Trista-chan. However, I'm not even close to completely like that 'dumb blond' that you see on television. No, I know enough what my uncle…What Kayaba said is the truth and the absolute truth: If we die in here, we die in real life!

I don't get it! I just don't get it at all! What is the point of all this? Is someone forcing him to do this?! Was he taken over by an evil entity like Hotaru's dead, Doctor Tomoe? This just doesn't make sense at all! I just don't understand and I keep getting that horrible feeling…that awful feeling that my uncle did this of his own volition without 'influence' from anyone. Part of me hopes and prays that I'm horribly wrong! Uncle Kayaba, the one that I know, is so gentle and calm that he wouldn't hurt a fly! Sure, he didn't get along in 'social circles', but plenty of the greatest genius in the world throughout history had 'social problems' or were 'misunderstood'! I just can't see him doing this horrible thing!

Well, right now, it doesn't matter. I'm trapped in here and if I'm going to find out what's going on as well as help everyone left get out of this prison, I've got to step up! I don't have the girls or my darling Darien-kun here! They are back with my body in the real world! They are praying for my return! I can 'feel' them! Somehow, they were able to 'connect' to me briefly through my body in whatever hospital it is in and I know that I just lie around feeling sorry for myself! People are dying and I'm Sailor Moon for crying out loud! True, I don't have access to my power since this isn't my real body after all. I'm in here and I don't have access to my broach and my Silver Crystal which means that I don't have powers. I don't think that it is even with my body right now which is a good thing. Since I'm stuck in here, we can't take the chance that someone will try to take the Silver Crystal…It has happened so many times before in the past that if I had a yen for every attempt at my 'family treasure', I would be quite rich right now.

It means that the rules of this world are the rules that I have to follow and the only 'power' that I can obtain has to be through my virtual hands and virtual sweat…if you can sweat in a virtual world. And that means if I want to protect people and find a way out of this nightmare, I need to get stronger which means increasing my levels and powering up my skills. And right now, I really don't have much of either. I'm starting at level one and I only have two skill slots at this moment in which one of them is being used for One-Handed Swords. In this game, you don't have magic and the only thing that you can do in combating monster is to use the weapons and their Sword Skills, special 'attacks' that can be used, in which the player is assisted by the game system to move at speeds that no player could ever achieve and inflict more damage than when you use your weapon in a 'normal manner' like slashing, thrusting, etc. I had wondered which kind of weapon I should use and I thought about using a rapier, but it seemed too…fancy and stuff like what I saw on television. Daggers seemed a little too short for my tastes and maces and axes seemed too…blunt if you get my meaning. So, I had settled on One-Handed Swords since I could use either hand and I could use a shield…when I get one.

Right now, I'm after a 'shield' of sorts. It is something that I remembered my squirt of a brother told me about…

Flashback; August 2022

 **Third Person's/Narrator's POV**

Inside of the Tsukino family household in the Juuban District of Tokyo, Serena Tsukino, Usagi's 'real life persona' and age 16, and Sammy Tsukino, Serena's younger brother and current SAO beta tester, age 13, are in the room with Sammy gloating about his time in the SAO beta.

Serena says, with a pout, "Oh, man! It isn't fair! You are having a blast!"

Sammy says, with a grin, "You win some and you lose something, Meatball Head. Don't blame me for not applying, but then again, there were only a thousand spots and with your kind of luck…!"

Serena responds, annoyed, "Ooh, I can't wait until the retail version comes out and I'm going to kick your butt!"

Sammy retorts, with a smirk, "In your dreams! I doubt that you would be able to get out of the Town of Beginnings without getting clobbered!"

Serena says, "Says you twerp! Despite all of the edge that you will have with the beta, I'm still going to beat you to the top! Remember, a beta doesn't end up like the final product you know!"

Sammy says, with a grin, "While that's true, Meatball Head, there is plenty that stays the same! In fact, I'll be nice and give you a tip about something that not even the other betas know about!"

Serena asks, with a glare, "What?"

Sammy responds, "A rare equipment item that can give you quite an edge."

Serena asks, curiously, "What kind of item?"

Sammy replies, "A one of kind item that allows you to hide your facial features from other players even you are looking directly in front of them and it also give you a good hiding bonus."

Serena asks, confused, "Why are you telling me this?"

Sammy retorts, with a grin, "I'm telling you all about so I can rub in your face when I get it first despite telling you exactly all about it!"

Serena responds, with a glare, "We'll see about shrimp!"

End Flashback; Return to the Present

 **Usagi's POV**

Afterwards, my squirt of a brother told about the one of a kind cloak and the one-off quest that you can get it from. During the beta, Sammy managed to stumble on it and complete the quest in which the rare cloak that he got he only used sparingly for its hide bonus. He told me that it wasn't 'his style', so, he kept in his storage a lot and used it only when necessary…for him anyway. Sammy…To be honest, I'm torn. Part of me wishes that he was here to help and the other part…the 'bigger part' is glad as heck that he isn't trapped in this nightmare. Mom and dad must be going out of their minds…especially mom. Mom must be frantic knowing that I'm trapped in here and my body is lying helpless in a hospital not to mention that it was her own brother that did this to me. Yeah, my mom, Ikuko Tsukino, is Kayaba's sister and despite being a housewife, my mom is really smart, but she always said that Kayaba was the real brains of the family. I never thought that those brains could come up with such a horror.

However, I shake my head or should I say my avatar's head, but then again…Argh! Never mind! I focus on the task at hand. Despite being newbie to the game, I still have inside information since Sammy played in the beta and he told me about it some through it was to just gloat in my face as well as I…I also helped create this prison that I and the other victims of Kayaba's actions. When I was little, he told me about this and I was the first to do a Full-Dive with a NervGear. It was so awesome and a dream come true! And when he told me about Sword Art Online…Aincrad…My head was so full of fantasy…and I helped create this since it was my idea to have this game have no magic and Sword Skills. Plenty of people, especially my friends and loved ones, would say that it wasn't my fault and I was just a child back then. Even if through that's true, my uncle…Kayaba used my ideas to create this nightmare that I and the other players are trapped in and since a member of my family is responsible, I can't help to feel obligated to do what it takes to find out why he did this and stop him. However, in order to do that, I need to survive and grow stronger and this quest will help me.

As I continue along, I remember something that my squirt of a brother told me about this quest. He said that in order to beat the quest 'you have to be like the cloak'. I don't get what did he mean. Be like the cloak? All that I know is that it cloaks my face and…Hiding bonus. So, you need a Hiding Skill in order to complete the beat the quest. I look around to make sure that I won't get ambushed and open up my menu. Since I'm starting out, I only have two skill slots and I won't get more until I level up. And based on what Sammy told me, I don't get my next skill slot until I'm level six. And I already have One-Handed Sword Skills fit in, so, there goes half of my currently available slots. And if I remove a skill from its slot, its 'level' goes down to zero.

Basically, with all sorts of skills in this game, they have 'levels' from zero to one thousand and you increase the level of your skills by using them constantly. This is different from your level as a player in which you level up by gaining experience and every level that you go up, you get more HP and increase stats like strength, agility, etc. With your skills, the more that you use your skills, the better that you get at them, but your skills have to be equipped to skill slots in order to use them. With me, I put in Hiding, that's it. I can't add any more skills to improve until I get another skill slot and if I take off Hiding, I lose all of the work that I put into it.

Plus, there is one more thing…What if what the squirt told me wasn't true? I mean, he wouldn't do anything to really harm me, but we were just a typical big sister and younger brother goofing around when he told me and he could have told me the wrong information just to make sure that I fail the quest because he never knew that SAO would turn out like this…That it would turn into this horrible 'death game'! Both of us never suspected a thing and…No, wait. No. No, for once, the brat didn't give me wrong information. Sammy did give me the right information at the time because he felt that even though I knew about it, he would get it first. At the time, he didn't know that he would have a doctor's appointment that would thankfully keep him from getting trapped in this prison like I am now.

As I put Hiding into my final free skill slot, I thanked Sammy from the bottom of my heart because his bratty actions are going to help me this time. This one is for you squirt. I'm going to complete this quest for you and for everyone. I hope that one day, I will get home to tell you all about it. With that thought, I take off back on my mission going to one of the far sides of this floor out of the way. Along the way, I fight more enemy monsters and at first, they were a mixture of monsters like the weak boars and others, but as I get closer to my destination, I'm starting to fight more and more wolf-like monsters.

After a while, when I defeated my next wolf, I heard a pleasant fanfare and my 'body' was surrounded in a glow. It had meant that I had leveled up and I was now at level two. If this was a 'normal game', I would have been excited, but this isn't a game…not anymore. My increased level was now just a means of survival and a means to help others survive this nightmare. It also helped me realize how alone I truly am now. When I played games before, like with my squirt of a brother or Mina-chan, we would get excited at each level up of our characters and talk about, but now, all I hear is the virtual breeze. Girls…Darien-kun…I know that you are with my body…but to me…you are so far away. I wipe the virtual tear that came from my virtual eye and run off to do what I need to do.

In what seems like forever, I finally arrive at my destination in which a simple log cabin far away from the main towns and villages of this floor of this death trap that this game has become exactly as my brother described. Quickly I go over to the door and I knock on it. After a few seconds, a beautiful woman in a simple red dress with a red hood and cape come over to the door. She looked so real that you would be hard pressed to think that she is just virtual, but my experience in VR already and the yellow cursor over her reminds me that she is an NPC, a non-player character and resident of this 'world'. There is also an icon that looks like an exclamation mark and it is sign of a quest NPC.

"Yes?" the woman asks me. Wow! It feels like I'm talking to a real person, but I've got to remember that they will only response to set words and I struggle to get them out.

"I'm an adventurer and I'm lost. Can you direct me to the next town?" I say. Nothing seems to happen for a moment and I wonder if I got it wrong, but then the icon over her turns into a question mark.

"If you are lost, you should be wary of these woods. They are full of wolves that have been turned into man-eaters by evil spirits." The woman tells me.

"Evil spirits?" I reply forgetting that I'm talking to an NPC for a moment.

"Yes, young adventurer. The spirits have been long sealed away, but their work remains." The woman tells me. However, she then says, "However, my mother had managed to survive in these woods for so long and knows how to handle them which is why I sent my daughter to her. You see, the wolves have become restless as of late and I fear that they would leave the woods. I made sure to send my daughter along the route that would completely avoid those monsters, but I fear for her safety." The woman asks, looking at me, "Adventurer, can I ask a favor? Would you go look for my daughter and make sure that she arrives at her grandmother's safely?"

"Sure." I reply. Then I realize that she might not understand, but the woman nods her head and my quest log updated telling me to follow the path to find the woman's daughter. Soon after, I head off to find the NPC's daughter and continue the quest. Immediately, I come to a wooded area and find a path, but then I find myself tangling with more wolves and I find that if I don't take care of them quick enough, they will call for reinforcements. At one point, I had to take a potion break and then I found a good use for the Hiding Skill. The Hiding Skill doesn't exactly make you invisible. It helps you escape detection as long as you are 'under cover' and by detection, it means that 'sensory abilities' of players and monsters, but with monsters, it only works with monsters, if they use sight to find their target. If it something like bat-monsters that uses echo location or whatever, you are done. Thankfully, these are wolves and they use sight as well as they don't focus on one place making it easier to take it to these overgrown virtual canines without getting swarmed by them. Thanks again, squirt.

Just then I hear a female scream and I think, _"Could that be…?"_ Immediately, I rush out and immediately found a young girl, maybe around 17-18 years of age with long blond hair, jade green eyes, and lush ruby red colored lips, and wearing a similar outfit to Red Riding Hood, quivering in fear of a real 'monster wolf' which ironically its 'title' on its HP bar said 'Monster Wolf'…real original. The massive wolf bares its jaws and fangs at the young lady.

"No…" The Red Riding Hood knockoff says in fear.

I leap out and shout out, "Hey, fur ball!" The massive wolf turns to me and I felt that I must be out of my mind! Why did I just do that? Well, no turning back now. Immediately, the Monster Wolf leaps at me and I yelp as I barely duck under it in which I also slash at its waist causing it to howl in pain. I immediately leap to my feet and yelp again as Monster Wolf glares at me in anger. Can a virtual monster get pissed? I didn't have time to think on that as it came at me again and slashing it with claws causing me to yelp as I barely dodged out of the way again. For what seems like forever, I continue this 'dance' with this fur rug with teeth and finally, with one **Slant** at its weak point, the Monster Wolf shatters into pieces of data or whatever. I give a sigh of relief and I found that with this victory, I managed to get to the next level and after I put the 'upgrades' in my stats in, I turn NPC that looks like an adult version of Red Riding Hood which also makes me wonder if my uncle was a bit of a…you know. I ask, "Are you okay?"

The NPC woman nods her head and she responds, "Thank you."

I tell her, "Your mom sent me because she was worried about you."

The NPC girl retorts, with a weak smile, "Mom is right to be worried about me. I can't fight like her and my grandma. Grandma is so tough and strong. I wish that I could be like her." The NPC girl tells me, "I'm Zola."

I respond, with a smile, "Nice to meet you, Zola." But then I remember that I'm talking to an NPC, but Zola gets to her feet.

The Red Riding Hood 'doppelganger' NPC, Zola, asks, "Can you escort me to my grandma?"

I reply, "Lead the way…but let's make sure that we don't run into any wolves." Zola giggles at my statement and she leads the way. After short a while and thankfully, no more fur balls, we arrive at another cabin where there is a woman waiting. She is an elderly lady in which her long flowing hair is grey, but then again, you can't exactly tell since she looks younger than any grandma that I know. Her face isn't sagging and I can't see a wrinkle on her face in which she has violet lips and violet-red lips in which she is quite lovely. She is wearing an armored corset and armored clothing that female warriors from anime that I would see.

The younger looking elderly NPC says, seeing Zola, "Zola!"

Zola responds, "Grandma!"

" _That's her grandma?!"_ I think in which I can also tell that she must be a real tough grandmother, but then again, what I heard from Zola's mother, I shouldn't be surprised. However, I should also remember that Zola and her family are also NPCs and this is just their backstory made by the programmers for the game.

Zola's grandmother says, hugging Zola, "Thank goodness that you are safe."

Zola tells her grandmother, with a smile and a nod, "It was thanks to this adventures that mom sent after me."

Zola's grandmother tells me, "Thank you for helping my grandmother and answering my daughter's call for help."

"It was no problem." I reply.

After Zola tells her grandmother about what happened, Zola's grandmother says, "I see." Zola's grandmother then tells me, "Adventurer, you have done much for my family, but I need your help once more."

I respond, "What's wrong?"

Zola's grandmother says, "Based on what my grandmother said, it seems like the wicked spirits that mutated the wolves long ago may be escaping." I flinch internally at that…Let's just say that I don't do ghosts despite all my adventures as Sailor Moon. Zola's grandmother tells me, continuing on, "The seal might be weakened or damaged and I need your help in fixing the seal." Zola's grandmother goes into her cabin home and after a second or two, she comes out with some kind of weird stone and Zola's grandmother says, "This stone was made just in case to fix the seal. I would go myself, but I need to take care of my granddaughter in case something happens. Can I trust you with this task?" When the quest mark appears over Zola's grandmother, I knew that this was a continuation of the question.

I reply, "Yes, I will." Zola's grandmother nods and hands me the stone in which the quest mark vanishes.

Zola's grandmother says, "Thank you adventurer." After Zola's grandmother gives directions on where I need to go, I head off with Zola wishing me luck and goodbye in which I can't help to see myself with my family back home and shed another tear.

I say, "Mom…dad…Sammy…" I shake my head to stop myself from crying and I promised that I would find my way home as well as, as much as he annoys me, thank the squirt for helping me this day. What I didn't know is how much his 'advice' would help me in this next part. Later on, I'm going through the woods and it is a real pain in the butt! There are more of these wolves everywhere! Not only that, there is a new enemy called 'Feral Werewolves' which are basically like they say that they are. They aren't any stronger than the enemies that I faced on this floor, but they have this nasty ability to 'sniff' that there is an enemy around. However, while their noses can tell them that someone unlike them is near, they still use sight to find their enemies which makes Hiding Skill VERY useful. It doesn't mean that I could avoid all fights, but it allows me to fight when it is right or necessary for me. Finally, after what seems forever, I arrive at the shrine for the seal and it looks like a simple stone hut and like one of those horror flicks, it was giving off a slight sickly violet aura giving off that 'bad vibe'. "Here we go." I say to myself. I come out and then the sickly aura transforms into another stronger looking werewolf in which I see a darker red icon, showing that he is pretty touch, as well as the name 'Werewolf Guardian', if that wasn't so obvious.

The Werewolf Guardian turns towards me and without hesitation, he lashes out with his massive claws in which I barley manage to block with my sword in which I strain a bit to hold back. I manage to leap back and start a counterattack, but he uses his claws to block every one of my blows! Oh, man! I should have known that it would be tougher than the rest! It strikes so fast that I barely manage to avoid a nasty strike in which I get nicked and my HP goes down quite a bit. Yipe! I didn't want to think about what would have happened if I had gotten a major hit. I barely avoid getting hit by usual klutziness and suffer a fumble stat which would have been the end of me. Okay! Okay! Remember that these guys are virtual monsters and 'boss monsters' always have a pattern to their attacks. Man, I wish that Ami-chan was here! She would figure it out! I shake my head and I remember that while Ami-chan may be with my real body, she isn't here and this is my fight now, but deep down, I hope that Ami-chan's 'spirit' is with me or something.

The battle continues on in earnest and I barely make a dent against this walking carpet, but somehow, maybe I did 'channel' Ami-chan or something, I began to see a pattern and quickly, I figured out a way to win. When this fur ball strikes with a certain attack, I counter with a Sword Skill and I managed to stun him or something leaving him wide open allowing me to counterattack in which I do so, but while I gain an edge, this virtual shag rug won't go down easily. After some minutes, which felt like forever, I finally strike him with a final **Slant** and Werewolf Guardian howls as he shatters into virtual pieces. Breathing more heavily than I ever done before, which is surprising since I'm in a data body right now, I go over and take the stone out of my inventory in which it starts to glow. The stone floats out of my hand and goes over to the stone hut causing the violet aura to recede until it is gone where the stone attaches itself to the top. Soon after, I found that my quest log updated and telling me to go back to home of Zola's grandmother.

"Glad that's over." I said to myself. I started to head back and along the way, I couldn't help to think that I managed to survive that big fight on my own. No…I didn't do it on my own. In some weird way, my friends, the Sailor Scouts, were helping me even if it was in 'spirit'. But then again, you can also say that my experience as Sailor Moon also helped me. If this happened before I became Sailor Moon, personally, I think that I would be stuck in some inn in the Town of Beginnings and screaming at my uncle at why he is doing this. I would be too afraid to even step outdoors and in fact, I'm freaking still afraid. Who wouldn't be in this situation? But my adventures as Sailor Moon, like it or not, has taught me many lessons through I doubt that they prepared me for this messed up situation! However, I learned that it doesn't matter if you are in 'other world', if your life is in danger, it is real, virtual or not, and when it is real life and death, not matter what kind of world you are in, you have got to treat this seriously as life and death especially when you have the whole world on the line. While the whole world isn't in danger, at least I don't think, this is life or death situation for all of us trapped in this nightmare and the only way that it is going to get solved is moving forward. I know that well from the battles that I fought as Sailor Moon with my Darien-kun and my friends, the Scouts. Yes, they were with me with that overgrown fur rug and they are with me now. "Thank you, girls." I say to myself with a smile and fighting back another virtual tear from my virtual eye in which I wipe away. The lesson that I learned from those battles and with them will help me survive and find out what the heck is going on here.

After I revitalize my HP with another potion, I go through the woods once more, which was easier since the wolf population seemed to drop suddenly, I get in sight of cabin home of Zola's grandmother and I expected to hear a 'well done' from her and get my reward from the quest, but then again, I get a 'bad feeling' and it seems to be confirmed when cabin of Zola's grandmother seems to explode and out of the smoke and rubble, a massive fiendish wolf comes out.

The fiendish wolf says, in a dark voice, **"What is this? An adventurer? Come to save the tasty thing and her grandmother?"**

I gasp realizing what that 'monster wolf' meant and I yell out, "What do you mean? What have you done with Zola and her grandmother?"

The fiendish wolf responds, **"She was so tasty…her grandmother looked tasty…but she was tough and hard…but she was so tender and yummy that I couldn't help to swallow whole…"** I gasp in shock and horror and I felt so angry, forgetting that Zola and her grandmother were NPCs, in which I wiped out my sword.

I yell out, "You…You…You monster!" Yeah, nice one. But before anything else could happen, the fiendish wolf gives a loud grunt of pain and then howls of agony as his waist area starts to move around literally before he roars as he explodes and shatters into pieces of data shards. What the heck just happened? I got my answer as a figure comes out of the smoke and I find that it was Zola, but she is different in which despite her retaining her Red Riding Hood style clothing, she looks more adult and womanly in her appearance…Not to mention having a strange 'fanged' sword in her hands. I ask, "Zola?" But just then I see that her cursor isn't yellow for a NPC, but a dark crimson red for an enemy and the words 'Possessed Zola' by her HP bar. "No way…" I say, but then Zola, her eyes slit-like just like wolf's eyes, looks at them and with incredible speed, she is on me in an instant and I barely manage to block. "Stop, Zola!" I scream out, but she doesn't listen to me and she lashes out like a wild animal with that strange sword. I barely manage to block the whole bunch of them, but she manages to nick me, however, those 'nicks' take a good chunk out of my HP. If I take a direct hit, I'm finished! As this is happened, I noticed something weird in which there is a strange glow from her waist. However, I don't have time to dwell on this and I quickly get a plan and quick another **Slant** exactly when she is going to strike and…YES! She's off-balance and I take to the woods as fast as I can. Zola rushes at top speed after me. However, I manage to get out of her sight long enough to get some cover and use my Hiding Skill. Soon enough, she is right in the area and she is looking frantically for me. She starts to sniff the air and she snarls like an animal in which she knows that she is in the area, but she can't find it. It looks like the same situation with those werewolf monsters from earlier. They can sniff me, but they have to see me to find me.

As I try to figure out a way out of this mess, I then notice the strange glow from her waistline and I see Zola cringe and growl as her body starts to move erratically like…Wait! I get it! Well, I hope that I do because if I'm wrong, I'm one cooked princess literally! I stay as Zola starts to move around and move her head frantically in which since she isn't focusing, my Hiding Skill won't be broken. I got only one shot and when Zola gets just right…Now! I scream as I leap out with a **Slant** and…Bingo! I hit her right in that spot! She howls in pain and in which she throws me off where I land on the ground, but despite not suffering a fumble stat, I may not get up in time to defend myself. But when I look, Zola stabs herself with a claw-like left hand at that spot I hit.

She grunts out, "Get…Get out! Get out of me!" She howls as she rips some kind of violet 'mist' or whatever in which her cursors go from dark crimson red back to its friendly NPC yellow in which the 'mist' takes the shape of wolf, gains a red cursor, and the words 'Wicked Wolf Spirit' appear by its health bar.

I say, with a snarl, "You must be the one that did that to her!" Immediately, I attack the Wicked Wolf Spirit with another **Slant** and causing it major damage in which a few more attacks takes it out. With it gone, I turn to Zola and asks, "Are you okay?" Zola doesn't say a thing until she starts to bawl and cry in front of me. I know that she is an NPC and all, but she is so real that I can't help myself to comfort her. After a while, I help her return to her mother and explain what happened. Zola's mother sheds tears of sorrow with the death of her mother.

Zola's mother says, "You have done all that you can, adventurer. I am horrified at the death of my mother, but I am glad that my dear Zola is safe. Thank you for saving her of the evil that infected her."

I reply, with a happy smile, "It was no trouble at all."

Zola's mother then presents me a white cloak with a hood and cape and she says, "This is our family treasure. This scared cape and hood has aided us in hiding us from our enemies. I wish for you to have it."

I tell her, "Thank you."

Just then Zola's mother brings out a treasure chest from seemly nowhere and she says, "I also wish to give you these scared crystals. They have been our family for much time as well, but we never had a use for them." I give a confused look since Sammy never mentioned this part, but then again, they could have changed the rewards slightly since the beta, so, I take a look and give a flabbergasted look at seeing a pair of pink crystals and a pair of blue crystals! They are healing crystals and teleportation crystals! What the heck?! These are only available on the higher floors! What are they doing here on the first floor of the game?! Is this a bug? Or is it something else?!

I reply, trying to keep myself calm, "T-Thank you very much. I will treasure them." Zola's mother and Zola herself nod at me.

Zola tells me, with a smile and her voice deeper than before, "I hope to become truly as strong as you." I rub my head nervously. If she only knew…Anyway, the prompt shows that the quest is complete and the experience from the quest has gotten me to level four! Whoa! Four levels in a day! If this was a normal game, I would be jumping for joy, but I don't. I quickly put the crystals in my inventory. They are seriously going to be useful one day and I equip my new cloak, the Prism Cloak as it is called, to me. When I look at Zola and her mother, Zola is hugging her mother and I remember being with my mother, my family, my friends…Darien-kun…And I realize how alone I am in this world. They have been taken away from me. I'm trapped in this place and in my heart, I knew that it wouldn't be like those other times as Sailor Moon. I've been completely cut off from the people that I love so much and it was done by a man that I loved like a second father. Not only to me, but around ten thousand other people in which every day more and more of them are dying and they don't even get to say goodbye in which their loved ones don't get to say goodbye to them until after they are fried like an egg! I struggle to hold back the tears and can't help to wonder if my real self is also crying as well. I shake my head and take off to leave Zola and her mother before they can notice me crying.

However, this doesn't discourage me! No way! In fact, it makes me more determined than ever before to save my fellow players and get us out of here! I fought long and hard against other foes from Beryl to Chaos itself! I'm freaking Sailor Moon for crying out! I won't this beat me! I can't let this beat me! Mom…Dad…Sammy…Girls…Darien-kun…I will survive…and not only I will survive, I will get out of here and I will return to you! I promise you! And Uncle Kayaba…I will find you and I will find out why you did this…And if necessary, in the name of the moon, I will stop you! As I put on the hood to cover my head and face in which my long pigtailed hair 'magically vanishes' within the hood, I head determined to kick this death game in the butt and win. By the way, thanks again, squirt. One day, I will repay for this information and the information for the next quest that I need to do in order to get stronger. The quest for one of the best one-handed swords for the first three floors.

 _ **November 11, 2022, Aincrad Floor 1, Outside of the village of Horunka**_

 **Third Person's/Narrator's POV**

Right now, we find a male player within a forest outside of the village of Horunka, one of the villages on the first floor of Aincrad, fighting against a horde of large eyeless five feet tall carnivorous yellow plant monster known as Little Nepenthes. He dodges corrosive liquid that it spews from its mouth as one of its attacks, but he slips and falls getting hit with a fumble stats and he looks to see the monster plant looming over him in which he feels that he is going to die. However, the Little Nepenthes is then cut down and the player looks to see Usagi, with head and facial features covered by the cloak, grabbing him and forcing him back to his feet.

Usagi asks, "Are you all right?" Usagi looks and she yells out, "Dodge!" She and the player dodge another corrosive liquid attack in which Usagi manages to strike down Little Nepenthes allowing the other player to get his sword.

The player says, "Thank you!"

Usagi asks, "Are you on the quest for the Anneal Blade?"

The player responds, "You must be."

Usagi tells the player, "You have to be careful! This isn't a game anymore!" Usagi and the player fight off the other Little Nepenthes until a faintly glowing orb lands at Usagi's feet in which she picks up the orb and throws it to the player in which she says, "Here you go!"

The player asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Usagi responds, "Just take it and go!"

The player responds, confused, "What?"

Usagi tells him, in a strong tone, "Just do it!" Surprised by her strong tone, the player takes off, but he couldn't help to look as Usagi takes on the few remaining Little Nepenthes, however, he decides that he got what he needed to complete the quest and she would be fine through he can't help to wonder who this player is as well as giving up an important item for a quest like that. Later on, Usagi also gets her own fainting glowing orb, the Little Nepenthes Ovule, which is the item for this quest and she takes off out of there as fast as her avatar's legs can take her.

 _ **November 11, 2022, Aincrad Floor 1, Horunka Village**_

Within the village, Usagi exits the home where the NPC woman lives and she swing her new Anneal Blade around before returning it to its sheath and straps it onto her body.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Well, that wasn't so hard."_ Usagi looks over her stats and finds that completing the quest has moved her to level seven in which she looks over her skills. Ever since making it to level six, she had put the Search Skill into her newest slot for her skills that she had gained when she reached that level. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Well, I'm ready as I will ever be."_ Taking a deep breath, Usagi runs off into the distance to start her 'mission' of surviving and beat the 'death game' of Sword Art Online as a group of players including the player that she just saved talks about the 'mysterious white cloaked player' that saved him during Anneal Blade quest. Usagi doesn't know what she is in for, but something tells her that she is in for a major adventure through she hopes and prays that it ends soon for obvious reasons. As she runs, she passes by another female player wearing a dark red leather tunic with matching hood and this player looks at Usagi with her brown eyes as she passes by not knowing what fate has stored for them and another…

(Sword Art Online opening music 'Crossing Fields' starts)

The scene starts with Usagi first meeting with red hooded female player, Asuna, and Kirito within the first floor labyrinth against the Ruin Kobold Troopers.

The next scene shows them in the floor boss fight with Illfang the Kobold Lord and Kirito and Usagi going to Diabel before he dies and the two of them with Asuna unite together to defeat the boss. And then the aftermath of the battle with the raid group finding out that Usagi is Kayaba's niece.

The next group of scenes shows Asuna's, Kirito's, and Usagi's adventures together throughout Aincrad.

The final scene shows Kirito and Asuna watching as Eternal Sailor Moon prepares to fight Heathcliff AKA Kayaba himself in the boss room of Floor 75 of Aincrad after Heathcliff was exposed as Kayaba and with a mighty yell, Sailor Moon charges in with her two swords, Elucidator and Dark Repulser, to fight Kayaba/Heathcliff and the scene stops with Kirito and Asuna looking at the looming fight as the shadow of Sailor Celestial, the Sailor Scout form of Kirito's sister, Suguha, looms over them all.

(Sword Art Online opening music 'Crossing Fields' ends)

 **The End…For Now**

So, this is it! The first of the short stories in the series of stories that make up this! So, what do you think? Anyway, I'm sure that you noticed that a lot of this story was told by Usagi's POV. I wanted to try that kind of 'writing style' and I hope that I got it right. Anyway, I had mentioned in **Chapter 2** of **Sailor Moon Online** that Usagi/Serena used a healing crystal during that fight with Illfang and in literature of Sword Art Online that I read, the crystals were not supposed to be available until higher floors, so, I felt that I had to explain that in which I hope that I did a good job of that. Anyway, tell me what you think and please no flames! I hope that you like this one-shot and by the way, there is a poll in my profile about what the next two stories are going to be told in this, but so far, there is a four-way tie! The poll is going to end when I start posting the next arc of **World's Song** , so, getting voting people! Tell me what you want to see next or I'm going to choose the next two stories that I like everyone! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	2. Story 2: Reassembling Fragments

Okay, everyone, welcome back to one-shot and short untold stories of the **Sailor Moon Online** story series! We are moving one from the start of the original **Sailor Moon** Online storyline and going into the **Hollow Fragment** 'timeline' in which to reveal the 'backstory' of **World's Song** by telling of the events that happened between **Hollow Fragment** and the mentioned story. We are going to see events that weren't told in the **Epilogue** of **Hollow Fragment** and bridge this story and **World's Song** by showing said events as well as foreshadowing events in **World's Song** , folks! You might see what I mean as you read, fans! Now, one more thing in which I have to do is give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 2: After Fragments 1: Reassembling Fragments**

 **Note:** This story takes place in the **Hollow Fragment** timeline and takes place around the time of the **Epilogue**.

 _ **February 4, 2025, SAO, Floor 100, Ruby Palace**_

Right now, we are on the top of the virtual floating castle world of Aincrad inside of the virtual realm known as Sword Art Online, SAO for short, the first VRMMO or Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Game which has been transformed into a lethal 'death game' where losing your life in the game means death in the 'real world', we are witnessing the final battle of this 'saga' as Heathcliff, the virtual avatar of Akihiko Kayaba, the one who created SAO and turned into a deadly death game that has taken around four thousand lives, is fighting against Valkyrie Sailor Celestial, the legendary Sailor Scout form of Suguha Kirigaya, adopted sister/cousin to Kazuto Kirigaya, one of the prisoners of SAO for over two years and who is known as Kirito, the Black Swordsman, and used an avatar known as Leafa from Alfheim Online, another VRMMO developed from same system that SAO uses, to come into this world around three months before to bring her brother home. But now, she fights against Heathcliff for everyone after learning the terrible truth about SAO and as well as her connection to Kayaba. Long ago, in the Silver Millennium, Sailor Celestial and Kayaba, who was known as Prince Heathcliff of Black and Blue Moon Kingdoms, was the lover of Queen Serenity, Sailor Celestial's mother when she was Princess Selene Leafa Serenity, younger sister to Princess Serenity who was reborn as Serena Tsukino, another prisoner of SAO, Kayaba's niece in this life, and the famous magical girl heroine Sailor Moon. In which one of the goals of SAO was to force Sailor Celestial to awaken to her powers in which Kayaba's plot has succeeded.

Now, the former royal father and daughter fight in a deadly duel to the death where Heathcliff tackles Sailor Celestial through the virtual wall and into the palace ground where they continue their intense fight with their virtual avatars becoming unstable due to the sheer might since they aren't fighting with the 'power' provided by the game, but fighting with their own will and their own power as their heritage from the Silver Millennium which have caused the Pain Absorbers, the feature of the game that negates the 'sensation' of pain when one is hit in this world, to be completely useless with both combatants feeling unbelievable pain and agony as they strike each other with each other especially since soon neither of them can and will not defend themselves with the one craving victory more will come out the winner. That winner proves to be Sailor Celestial as she launches one final attack and impales Heathcliff with the powerful Kye-Blade, the ultimate Keyblade, she has formed and after a mighty explosion, Sailor Celestial battered and 'damaged' avatar stands, barely, victorious over the beaten Heathcliff.

Soon after, the system of SAO announces that the death game has been cleared and all surviving players would be heading home causing the majority of the players trapped in SAO for over two years to celebrate all over Aincrad until they were 'teleported' off Aincrad before it started to collapse as it is the final duty of the game to 'cleanse' the servers of the data when the game is beaten and the players are logged out. All of the players are logged with Sailor Celestial, Sailor Moon, and Kirito being the last of them after meeting a mysterious ALO player known as Yuuki in an area outside of Aincrad and overlooking the crumbling floating castle before she and they left this virtual realm for good.

 _ **February 4, 2025, Unknown location in the 'real world'**_

Within a massive facility in the real world, we are looking inside of a high-tech facility where we see a young man of around 18 years of age with well-groomed short black hair, brown eyes with small glasses in front of them giving a 'cute smart guy' look, and wearing a lab coat over basic grey shirt, blue jeans, and black shoes. With this young man, there is a small Ultimate Digimon known as Datamon with him. The young man and his Digimon are looking at stuff when a computer nearby glows and the familiar Digimon of Veemon and Gatomon come out of it.

The young man asks, surprised, "Veemon? Gatomon?"

Gatomon says, with a nod, "It's us, Luke."

Datamon says, "From the way that you have returned, you must have come from the Digital World."

Veemon says, "Well, kind of! Actually, we came from the Digital World after we returned from SAO!"

The young man, Luke, gasps and he yells out, "What?! You found a way into Sword Art Online?! But how? Why?"

Gatomon says, "It is a long story, Luke. But you need to know that's where we find Davis and Kari!"

Luke asks, stunned, "What?! They are in SAO?!"

Veemon says, with a nod, "Yep! But it's over now! Sword Art Online has just finished and Davis and Kari should be coming back to their bodies now!" Before Luke could say a word, there are alarms blaring in which Datamon goes to nearby computers and tapping into them in his own way.

Luke asks Datamon, "What is it Datamon?"

Datamon says, his eyes widen, "My words! They're right! Davis Motomiya's and Kari Kamiya's minds have just returned to the mainframe!"

Luke asks, shocked, "Are you sure Datamon?"

Gatomon says, "Hurry! Transfer them into their bodies hurry!"

Luke responds, "You heard her, Datamon! Call the facility!"

Datamon says, plainly, "Understood, Luke." Immediately, Luke and Datamon start to work on the computers and a short time afterwards, we are inside of an area with a group of what looks like high-tech medical facility with some kind of high-tech medical chamber with similarities to Medicuboids, generation three Full-Dive devices based on the NervGear created for medical purposes. The medical chambers then open up with a 'hiss' in which a group of young woman dressed as the nurses rushes along with plenty of female Digimon with nurse's hats on their heads. Out of the smoke, we can see a male figure emerge from one chamber and a female figure from another in which the nurses bring out robes and blankets to cover them up. Luke, Veemon, and Gatomon then enter the room in which the smoke clears to reveal none other than Daisuke 'Davis' Motomiya, around age 17, and Hikari 'Kari' Kamiya, also around age 17, clad in the robes and blankets given to them in which they shake their heads to clear the fog in their minds.

Davis says, with a grunt, "Oh, man…"

Kari says, woozily, "Dai-kun…?"

Veemon says, excitedly, "Davis!"

Davis and Kari look to see their Digimon partner onto them in which one of the nurses say, "Be careful! They just woke up!"

A Floramon nurse adds in, "That's right! They may have been kept stable while they were in there, but they have been in there for years!"

Kari looks around and she asks, "Did we…?"

Gatomon says, with a smile, "Yes, you made it. You're back home."

Luke says, with a smile, "Welcome back. Both of you."

Davis says, with a smile, "It feels good to be back." Davis looks at Kari and she gives a warm smile in which she feels something causing her to take out a pink heart-shaped broach with four golden wings attached to the sides of the broach while there is a golden-red sun jewel attached to the center of the broach.

One nurse asks, "What's that?"

A pink rabbit Digimon, Cutemon, asks, "How did that get in there?"

Kari says, with a smile, "It is a bit of a story."

Luke says, with a smile, "One that you can tell us later. Right now, we're glad for you that you are home."

Veemon says, with a nod, "You know it, Luke." Kari gently pats Gatomon on the head and Davis smiles at his partner as they feel relief that they are home while the nurses, human and Digimon, start to examine and look them over for obvious reasons.

 _ **February 4, 2025, Tokyo, Yokohama North General Hospital**_

At Yokohama North General Hospital, we find Shino Asada, the real life name for Sinon and around age 16, is sitting in a hospital bed as her mother is crying while Shino herself is getting examined by doctors and nurses with Doctor Kurahashi in which we can see Shino's hair is somewhat longer and she looks somewhat paler than she did in SAO as Sinon.

Doctor Kurahashi says, with a sigh, "Yusei-san and I had thought so. Due to some kind of 'error' in SAO, your machine was mistaken for a NervGear since the Medicuboid was more similar to the NervGear than the Amusphere."

Shino says, weakly, "When I…first got…into SAO…I had lost…my memory…"

Shino winches weakly, Shino's mother gives a really concerned look, and Doctor Kurahashi says, "Easy, Asada-san." Doctor Kurahashi says, with a nod, "It isn't too surprising. You were ripped from our virtual program and brought into SAO. The 'trauma' from the transfer most likely caused the temporary memory loss."

Shino says, with a nod, "I see…"

Doctor Kurahashi says, "Since the Medicuboid got transferred to SAO, we could risk your life in tampering with it since the 'code' from the game could have most likely 'infected' the programming code of the Medicuboid in which your life was at risk even through trapped via the NervGear." Doctor Kurahashi says, "Even through SAO is over, we're going to have to add more security to prevent something like this happening again. However, for the moment, we are glad that you are okay."

Shino nods her head and she then asks, "My friends…?"

Doctor Kurahashi says, with a smile, "We'll see what we can do."

 _ **February 4, 2025, Tokyo, Chiyoda Hospital**_

Right now, we are inside of Kazuto's room within Chiyoda Hospital where both he and Suguha have just woken up after returning from SAO in which the doctors and nurses are examining Suguha and Kazuto in which their examination of Suguha have gotten the doctors and nurses concerned in which the nurse in charge of Suguha is being talked to.

The nurse says, "I don't know at all doctor. I had seen her just before she had woken up with her brother and the other survivors of SAO that are in this hospital and she didn't have those bruises on her at all."

The doctor says, looking at Suguha, who is currently in a wheelchair, "And the records show that no one entered her room after you did before she woke up and left. There is just no explanation."

Midori asks, concerned, "Is my girl going to be okay?"

The doctor responds, "They may take a while to heal since they seem to be 'bruising' like you were coming out of a hard fist fight or something, but I doubt that she is in any life-threatening danger. However, I want to take immediate X-rays and further examination to make sure of that."

Suguha thinks in her mind, with a winch, _"I've got a good explanation for you, doc: Always make sure that the VRMMO games that you are playing have good and working 'pain absorbers'."_

Just then a male voice says, "I believe that's a wise idea, doctor." Everyone then looks to the source of the voice to see a man with short messy black hair, brown eyes with octagon glasses in front of them, and wearing a dark green business suit.

Kazuto asks, weakly, "Who are…?"

Kazuto grunt out and Midori says, "Kazuto, please take it easy."

Suguha says, weakly, "I know…you…You are the head of the SAO Task Force."

Kazuto gives a look of surprise and the man responds, with a smile, "I see that you keep up well and I'm not surprised since your brother is an SAO victim. That's correct. I'm Seijirou Kikuoka, part of what knows as the VR Division in the Japanese ministry, and I'm head of the SAO Victims Rescue Force also known as the SAO Task Force to handle what is known as 'The SAO Incident' and all those involved in it which includes you, too, Suguha Kirigaya-san. I'm interested in how you got that NervGear when they were all supposed recalled and destroyed other than those used by the Task Force to find a way to free all those trapped in SAO and used in development of the current Amusphere rig."

Suguha gives a nervous look and she thinks, _"Oh, crap."_

Midori says, "Kikuoka-san, I know that you want to know what's going on, but my son and daughter have just gotten back from that horror. Even though Suguha has only been there under three months, her body is significantly weaker and she also has significant bruises that have just appeared on her body on this day that she returned from that horrible death game."

Seijirou asks, curiously, "Really?"

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"It actually isn't so mysterious, mom. I have to admit that jerk had gotten tougher since our battle in the Silver Millennium and it just reminds me what a pain in the neck he is!"_

Seijirou says, "Anyway, I understand your feelings at this, but I rushed here since I need to talk to them since your daughter and her brother along with a few others seem to have played an important role in clearing the game especially the final boss based on the data that we could get from the severs." There are looks of shock and stares at Kazuto and Suguha.

Kazuto and Suguha think at the same time, _"Thanks a lot."_

Suguha says, with a sigh, "You want to know about Kayaba. Well, you don't have to worry about him. He's dead. He was the game's final boss and I struck the final blow."

There are looks of shock from everyone, minus Seijirou and Kazuto, and Seijirou says, "The data says as much, but while you did defeat him in the game, it doesn't mean that he is dead."

Kazuto says, weakly, "He could have…only used a NervGear to enter the game."

Seijirou tells Serena, "True. True. But it doesn't mean that he didn't modify the NervGear to make sure that the same rules don't apply to him. None of us knew that the man that we saw was only a façade or that he was capable of such a horror. You see, Kirigaya-san, like you, I'm a former SAO beta tester myself."

Suguha asks, shocked, "Wait! You are a former SAO beta tester?"

Seijirou retorts, "That's correct, Suguha-san. It is one of the reasons that I was chosen to be the head of the task force for the 'SAO incident'. I didn't transfer to the full version since I belonged to what is known as the VR division of the government and I was planning to create a thesis on the other applications of Full Dive technology." However, Suguha and Kazuto believed that there was more than what he is saying, but they let it go for now. Seijirou says, "Kayaba-sempai was kind of like a teacher to me and I was shocked and stunned when this happened. And we still don't understand. Why did he do this? Why did he take this technology and turn it into instruments of imprisonment and death? With so little information, we have no idea. And right now, our main focus is going to shift right now. Even as we speak, thanks to your efforts, the over six thousand survivors of SAO are waking up in hospitals all over the nation as we speak and we are going to need to rehabilitate and readjust them to life back here. Remember, your brother has been trapped in that virtual world for over two years and it is like you have been on an alien world going through an entirely different life. It is going to take a lot of work."

Suguha and Kazuto look at each other for about a minute in which they nod their heads and Suguha tells Seijirou, "All right, big brother and I will help you, but with conditions."

Before Midori could speak up, Seijirou asks, "Name them?"

Suguha responds, "For one thing, I will tell you how I got my NervGear, but the person that I got it from didn't give it to me. I took it from him and while he didn't stop me from taking it from him, he didn't assist me in anyway. He was using the NervGear to figure out a way to free friends of his from SAO. This information gets buried for good. Agreed?"

Seijirou says, with a nod, "Agreed."

Kazuto says, "We also want you to find friends of ours from SAO. I only know most of them by their player names. They are Silica, Agil, Klein, Argo, and Lisbeth."

Seijirou says, "It will take a while, but you said you only knew most of them by their player names. You must know a few by their real names."

Suguha says, "One of them is Asuna and she used her real first name for her avatar name. Her real name is Asuka Yuuki."

Seijirou asks, surprised, "Asuna Yuuki?"

Suguha responds, with a nod, "Yes, we already know that she is the daughter of the head of RCT in which you should know the head of one of their 'divisions' is a real piece of garbage."

Seijirou says, with a smile, "If you are talking about who I think you are, then you can be assured that HE is in major trouble. Let's just say that a 'little Senshi' let me into his 'dark secrets'."

Midori and the hospital staff are confused, but Kazuto and Suguha get what Seijirou means in which their eyes widen in which Kazuto says, shaking off the surprise for the moment, "The other one is someone that's like a sister to me. Her avatar name is Usagi, but her real name is Serena Tsukino."

Seijirou asks, shocked, "Wait! How do you…?"

Kazuto says, weakly, "She told Sugu and I her real name and while the other players don't know this information, the players learned about her connection to HIM a long time ago."

Seijirou says, with a nod, "I see."

Suguha says, "And before you say anything, the players think of her as one of the ultimate victims of SAO and my brother was one of the few friends that she had in SAO at least until I came along."

Seijirou says, with a nod of understanding, "I see." Seijirou tells the doctors and nurses, "Please leave the room. Suguha-san, Kazuto-san, their mother, and I have something to discuss. I won't take long since I will be seeing someone else after I'm done here, but please prepare food and water among other things when I leave." The doctors and nurses look at each other, nod, and they take their leave in which Seijirou locks the door as he prepares for a discussion with Kazuto, Suguha, and their mother.

 _ **February 4, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Within a hospital inside of the Juuban District, we are inside of the hospital room of our Moon Princess and Sailor Scout of the Moon, Serena Tsukino, age 18, looking very pale and very skinny due to her not using her body for over two years is with her parents, Kenji and Ikuko Tsukino, her younger brother, Sammy Tsukino, her beloved, Darien Shields AKA Tuxedo Mask, age 22, and the Moon Kingdom Sailor Scouts along the Lunarian feline advisors, Luna, a female black cat with a golden crescent moon sigil on her forehead, and Artemis, a male white cat with the same golden crescent moon sigil on his forehead.

Artemis then shouts out, shocked, "I can't believe it! Sailor Celestial has been awakened!"

Mina tells Artemis, "Cool it, Artemis! Even with Raye-chan's special sound damping sealing, you can't be too loud!"

Luna says, "I can understand Artemis' shock." Luna says, amazed, "This is…This is unbelievable."

Sammy says, "I'll say. So, Meatball Head had a younger sister when she was a princess? And she was some kind of kick ass Sailor Scout? I can't help to wonder if she was adopted or something."

Serena says, weakly while glaring at Sammy, "Funny…squirt…"

Kenji asks, flabbergasted, "So, all of this madness…all of this death…was to force our girl's sister from her ancient past to awaken? Do you know how…how insane that truly is?"

Mina tells Kenji, "I'm sorry if this hurts Serena's mom, but you do know who and what we are dealing with?"

Amara says, with a snarl, "He also made her remember the betrayal that he inflicted on her causing the end of the Silver Millennium."

Kenji says, with a sneer, "Seems to be a common theme with him."

Serena and Ikuko give solemn looks and Sammy says, nervously, "Dad…"

Serena tells Sammy, weakly, "It…It's okay…Sammy…"

Ikuko tells Serena, "Sweetie…"

Hotaru asks, curiously, "So, what do we do now?"

Amara responds, "We prepare Firefly."

Sammy asks, confused, "Prepare for what?"

Artemis says, with a serious tone, "For the battle that's sure to come." When everyone looks at Artemis, he says, "With the awakening of Sailor Celestial and the return of her power, of which the true extent even Sailor Pluto never knew before, Kayaba may have had a point. SAO was just the beginning."

Sammy asks, "Beginning of what?"

Artemis responds, seriously, "War."

Kenji asks, seriously, "War?"

Darien says, "We have to remember what Kayaba said to us at the Ruby Palace." When everyone looks at Darien, he says, "We have to remember that Sailor Celestial has the power of Etherion, the embodiment of creation itself. Basically, Sailor Celestial has the power of a god…Maybe even beyond that."

Lita asks, surprised, "Power of a god?"

Trista says, "Even beyond that. Etherion is the 'power of creation' itself through this term is a simple term for what Etherion is. If master, Etherion could allow anyone to make reality what they want, need, and desire it to be. In fact, it is not false to say that Etherion gives a being power BEYOND a deity."

There are gasps and Luna says, "Trista is right." Luna says, looking at the window, "Even now, I see it…The fighting to come. And 'they' will come for her. They will come for her power. As Beryl and others once 'quested' for the Silver Crystal, those that desire and crave that kind of power will come for Sailor Celestial. Most likely, they already sensed her awakening. They know that one of the most powerful Sailor Warriors has returned after one thousand years and they will come for her."

Raye says, "Because they crave her 'ultimate power'."

Luna says, with a nod, "That's right."

Artemis says, "Kayaba was right about this. Sword Art Online was…just the beginning. There is more to come."

There is silence for several moments and Serena says, "Girls…"

Everyone looks at Serena and Mina says, "Hey, girl. Easy…"

Serena says, weakly, "Listen…find her…find Celestial…"

Lita asks, surprised, "Find Celestial?"

Mina says, "But Serena, we only know her by her avatar name…"

Serena says, weakly, "Celestial's…Leafa's real name is Suguha…Suguha Kirigaya…"

There are surprised looks and Amara asks, "She told you her real name?"

Serena says, with a nod, "Yes…that's her real name…find her…"

Hotaru asks, "But what about you?"

Serena says, "I'll be fine…Hotaru…"

Raye says, "But you can barely speak…"

Serena says, with a determined look in her eyes not seen in her before SAO, "That…That's an order, Pyro…" Darien and the Sailor Scouts are shocked because Serena has never been one to give anything that sounded like an order before, but they can see that the look in her eyes says 'I'm not kidding' around.

Amara says, "Understood."

Trista says, "I'll be able to find out where she is with my connections with the SAO Task Force. Most likely, she is staying at the same hospital that Kirito is staying at."

Serena says, with a nod, "Thank you…" Trista starts to leave with Ami, after giving important information to the leader of the SAO Task Force, Seijirou Kikuoka, had come back to rejoin the others in their 'reunion' in the 'real world' with Serena to locate where Sailor Celestial AKA Suguha Kirigaya is located in the real world. On the meanwhile, Serena thinks in her mind, _"I need to get better. I need to get better soon. I won't…I can't let what happened ever happen again."_ Just then the memories of the people that died in SAO come into her mind and Serena thinks in her mind, determined, _"I will NEVER allow something like this happen ever again! I cannot and will not permit anything like this horror to ever happen again! And I will do what it takes to make sure that no one will ever have to suffer since this kind of horror ever again! Even if I have to become a true Sailor Scouts…a true Sailor WARRIOR…"_ Serena then looks over to her heart-shaped transformation broach and she looks at it with a determined look on her face in which Darien, her family, and the others notice causing them to get a feeling for the reasoning behind that look.

 _ **February 5, 2025,**_ _ **Tokyo, Chiyoda Hospital**_

Within Chiyoda Hospital, we are looking at Suguha as she is grunting and groaning in bed like she is having a nightmare and she wakes up with a gasp causing her to go into a sitting position, but she grunts in pain due to her external and internal bruising.

Suguha thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Not again. Not that nightmare again. Why now?"_

Just then Suguha's hears her brother's voice groan out, "Sugu…" Suguha looks to see her brother, Kazuto, slowly getting into a sitting position through looking strained to do so.

Suguha tells Kazuto, "Big brother…"

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Sugu, is something wrong? I heard you…"

Suguha responds, with a nervous smile, "It's nothing, big brother. I had a bit of nightmare." Suguha tells Kazuto, "You have to take it easy. You've got it worse than I do."

Kazuto says, weakly and in annoyed tone, "Thanks for reminding me…"

Suguha says, with a smile, "Sorry…"

Suguha then winches from pain and Kazuto tells her, "You may not…as weak…as I am…but you aren't in good shape yourself…"

Suguha says, with a winch, "I kind of got that…"

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Sugu…How did you do that?"

Suguha asks, curiously, "Do what?"

Kazuto tells Suguha, weakly, "How did you get through that fight with that inhuman pain that you were feeling?" Suguha gives a look of surprise and Kazuto tells Suguha, "Sugu…All of us heard that your…power negated the Pain Absorbers…in SAO…Without those…and without the usual chemicals…that the brain produces…to negate pain…since you are in a…virtual body…"

Suguha responds, with a sigh, "I…I wonder that myself…I felt…I felt like one of those victims in those monster shark flicks or something…his blows were like giant metal hammers slamming into my body…fangs that ripped into my flesh…I really can't describe…but while the pain was beyond description…It didn't dominate my mind…I just…I just had to win…I had to end the nightmare…end that dark legacy once and for all…"

Kazuto says, weakly, "I can never…forgive him…" Suguha looks at Kazuto and he says, "That's why…I will never forgive him…all this…for you to relive a nightmare…in ages past…he murdered so many people…destroyed Usagi's innocent…made so many suffer…"

Suguha says, with a nod, "I know, big brother. And…it isn't over."

Kazuto tells Suguha, looking at her, "I know. Kayaba was telling the truth. I feel it." Kazuto tells Suguha, with a smile, "We'll find the others and we'll face it together."

Suguha says, with a smile and nod, "Yeah…" Suguha tells Kazuto, "Anyway, you had better take it easy. You've got a long road ahead of you."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Tell me…about it, Sugu." Kazuto then lies back down and Suguha gives a quite mental sigh in which she looks at the window causing her to mentally gasp to see a young woman across the street from the hospital and in Suguha's view from the window causing her to rub her eyes, but when she looks in the direction, she doesn't see anyone.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"First that nightmare. And next, I'm seeing things. Just great."_ Suguha looks at her brother and she thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"You think that I'm strong, but I'm not big brother. I'm not strong as you are at all. I let my anger and rage control me and allowed myself to consumed by darkness in which I did…horrible things. It makes me no better than 'him'."_ Suguha then looks at her sailor transformation broach and she thinks in her mind, determined, _"The lives that my powers and I destroyed…can never be taken back. I'm not sure that I can be forgiven, but I will make sure that nothing like this happens ever again and I will do my best to repay my 'debts' even though they may never be repaid. I will fight in order to make sure that this dark legacy will never happen again. No matter what it takes, I will create a path into the future…"_ As Suguha thinks about the path that she prepares to take, some distance away from the hospital, there is a hooded cloaked figure walking away from the hospital and glancing in the direction of where the window of Suguha's and Kazuto's current hospital room is.

 _ **February 6, 2025, Tokyo, Chiyoda Hospital**_

Inside of Chiyoda Hospital, in a hospital, Kazuto, in his weakened condition from just 'waking up' from SAO, slowly opens his eyes and he looks at his hands as well as his surrounds in order to remind himself that he is in the 'real world' and not in SAO anymore. He grunts as he slowly gets himself into a sitting position.

Suguha's voice says, "Kazuto…" Kazuto looks over and he gasps to see Suguha in a sitting on a nearby bed with her hands in her hair which has grown to end of her back behind her back with also the fact that her 'new hair' isn't black, but it is blond and a golden-blond at that!

Kazuto says, shocked, "Sugu, what happened? Your hair…!" Kazuto winches since his body has yet to start recover from him not using it in the over two years that he was trapped in SAO.

Suguha responds, confused, "I don't know, big brother. I just woke up and found that I have all this hair and it's blond too!" Suguha moves her hands and she winches in pain from the many bruises, external and internal, that she is currently suffering from due to her fight with Heathcliff in SAO WITHOUT any pain absorbers to negate the pain that she suffered from every blow that she got hit with when Suguha, as Sailor Celestial, battled Heathcliff in SAO.

Kazuto says, "Easy, Sugu. You and I aren't exactly at our peak and while you are going recover faster than I am, you aren't going to do that right away."

Suguha says, with a groan, "I got that." Suguha asks Kazuto, "What's up with my hair?"

Kazuto says, "I wish I knew, Sugu. And why is it blond…Wait! It's blond…golden-blond like…"

Suguha says, "Usagi's hair! My hair as…"

Kazuto makes a motion to 'keep quiet' and he tells her, "Easy, Sugu. Do you want to announce that to the whole world?"

Suguha says, with a nervous shake of her head, "Right. Got you." Suguha asks Kazuto, "Do you think that this has to do with my powers awaken?"

Just then a female voice says, "It is most likely, my princess." Suguha and Kazuto give looks of surprise as Trivia enters in and leaps down near Suguha's lap and she says, "Your awakening has given you the powers of your past life, my princess."

Suguha asks, surprised, "A talking cat?" Suguha says, looking at Trivia, "Wait. I know you…"

Kazuto asks, surprised, "You know a talking cat?"

Suguha responds, "A long story, big brother."

Trivia responds, "I am, Trivia. I am Princess Selene's advisor and guardian from the planet Mau."

Kazuto asks, "Mau?"

Suguha replies, "A planet allied with the Silver Millennium and they are basically 'cat people' with the ability to take humanoid and feline forms in which they usually stay in their feline forms outside of their home world."

Trivia responds, "I see that you have gotten back your memories, my princess."

Suguha responds, solemnly, "More than I like."

Trivia says, with a sigh, "I see." Trivia asks, "While within Sword Art Online, did you…?"

Suguha responds, "It was his plan all along and I fought him to finish the game and bring my brother and everyone else home."

Trivia says, with a sigh, "I see." Trivia says, "Anyway, I believe that the growth of your hair and the change in color is due to the awakening of your power as Sailor Celestial and Princess Selene since this is your 'royal hair color', my princess."

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"Does this mean that I'm turning back into Princess Selene?"_

Trivia says, "I believe that I can help."

Kazuto asks, curiously, "Are you sure?"

Trivia says, with a smile, "I have my ways." Later on, the doctor and nurses are coming in to check on Kazuto and Suguha and Suguha's blond hair has 'vanished' in which her hair has returned back to its original state.

The doctor says, "Good morning to you, both."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Morning, doctor."

The nurse asks, "Are both of you feeling all right?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Considering…"

The doctor says, "That's good." The doctor says, "Anyway, we are still concerned about the mysterious bruising that you have gotten Miss Kirigaya-san, but it seems like there is nothing life-threatening about them and they haven't gotten worse. In fact, they may have started to get better, but we aren't sure yet."

The nurse tells Suguha, "However, we want you to take it easy. The bruising may not be linked to any kind of serious damage and you haven't been trapped as long as your brother, but your body is significantly weaker than several months ago."

Suguha says, with a nod, "Right."

The doctor says, with a nod, "Yes, but I believe that we can start physical therapy for you. Despite not being trapped in SAO as long as your brother, your body has become significantly weaker and thus, you need to rebuild your strength and 'relearn' how to use your body." The doctor says, "Anyway, before we start, you have a few visitors."

Kazuto asks, weakly, "Visitors?"

The doctor says, "I already told them that the head of SAO Task Force already visited you on the day that you got back and been through a time with him, but they insisted and they are also here on personal business for a friend who is also an SAO survivor."

Suguha asks, surprised, "An SAO survivor?" Suguha then grunts in pain from the bruises on and in her body.

The nurse says, concerned, "Please take it easy, Kirigaya-san!"

Suguha says, with a winch, "I'm okay. Please send them in." The nurse looks at the doctor and he gives a somewhat reluctant nod in which the nurse goes out of the room. She then quickly returns with none other than Trista Meiou and Ami Mizuno walking in with Suguha and Kazuto looking in shock with Trista giving a look and smile that says 'Don't tell'.

Trista tells them, with a smile, "I'm Trista Meiou. I'm a member of the SAO Task Force and this is friend and associate, Ami Mizuno. I believe that you are Kazuto and Suguha Kirigaya."

Ami says, with a smile, "We're here not as a member of the SAO Task Force, but for a friend of ours…A friend that you met in SAO."

Suguha asks, "Let me guess: She had blond hair in long pigtails?"

Trista and Ami feign surprise and Trista asks, "My, how did you know?"

Kazuto says, weakly and with a smile, "A 'little princess' told us." Kazuto and Suguha smile as the doctor and nurses give confused looks, but they decide not to give any real thought.

 _ **February 7, 2025, Outside of Tokyo**_

Some distance outside of Tokyo and up in the skies of Tokyo, we find ExVeemon, with Davis on his left shoulder, Angewomon, and finally, Eternal Sailor Sun, Kari's new Sailor Scout form, are flying towards Tokyo.

ExVeemon asks, "You think that we should have said goodbye first?"

Davis responds, with a smile, "I'm sure that Luke will understand."

Sailor Sun says, "Anyway, we're just fine. Thanks to those machines, we're completely healthy."

Angewomon says, "However, I doubt that Tai and the others will be."

Davis says, "No kidding."

Sailor Sun says, with a smile, "Anyway, it will be good to see them in the real world again." Sailor Sun then sighs and she says, "And…I think that Luke and the others are right."

Davis says, with a nod, "Yeah, I know. I'm with you, Kari-chan. It is time to face our past." Davis tells Sailor Sun, with a smile, "But remember, we have our friends…all of them. And you have me, your princess, my sunlight princess."

Sailor Sun giggles and she says, "Oh, Dai-kun…" Sailor Sun then flies over and kisses Davis on his left cheek.

Angewomon says, with a smile, "Get a room."

ExVeemon asks Angewomon, with a sly smirk, "Is that how an angel Digimon supposed to act?" Angewomon gives a pout while ExVeemon smirks while Davis and Sailor Sun smile as they are also blushing as they head home to meet up with their family and friends that they have left behind a few years back.

 _ **February 7, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Inside of the hospital in the Juuban District, we find the Odiaba Digidestined and their Digimon partners assembled together within a large hospital room with Tai Kamiya, Matt Ishida, Takeru 'TK' Takashi, Ken Ichijouji, and Yolei Inoue joined by Davis' sister, Jun Motomiya, sitting in hospital beds and looking weak and pale which isn't surprising since Tai, Matt, TK, Ken, Yolei, and Jun have just 'woken up' from being trapped in SAO for over two years. Right now, all of their family members have left leaving only our Digidestined, their Digimon partners, and Jun as Davis, Kari, Tai, Matt, TK, Ken, Yolei, and Jun explain the whole of their adventures.

When they are done with Kari showing her Sailor Scout transformation broach, Mimi asks, shocked, "So, Kari is a Sailor Scout?!"

Davis tells Mimi, annoyed and sarcastic tone in his voice, "Geez, can you speak any louder? I don't think that they heard you across the city!"

Mimi says, nervously, "Sorry."

Joe says, stunned, "Sorry, Davis. This is just A LOT to take in."

Yolei says, weakly, "Don't…blame you, Joe…"

Tai says, weakly, "Yeah…we were shocked when we found out…"

Sora Takenouchi, the Digidestined of Love, asks, stunned, "But all this…in order to have Sailor Moon's sister 'awaken' to her powers?"

Matt says, with a nod of understand and weak voice, "I know, Sora…insane…but we aren't talking about…someone that's sane…"

Davis says, with a nod, "No joke, Matt."

Cody says, "Personally, I had a feeling that there was a reason that Sailor Moon has been missing for all this time."

Izzy says, "It was a theory that she could have one of the victims of SAO, but now, we have confirmed proof with you guys."

Cody says, "We just couldn't never have imagined that she, of all people, is a member of Kayaba's own family."

Biyomon says, "It is so hard to believe that he trapped a member of his own family in there and one that loved him so much before."

Matt says, weakly, "That shows that…we weren't dealing with a human being…we were dealing with a fiend…"

Palmon asks, "Do you think that she will be okay?"

Gatomon asks Palmon, "Do you even have to ask that question Palmon?"

Palmon says, nervously, "Yeah…you're right."

Mimi asks, curiously, "Since we are here in Juuban, do you think that we can meet them?"

Davis then 'senses' something or someone and he asks, pointing outside, "Maybe you should ask TC's new girlfriend?" The others give confused looks, but they gasp when they see Eternal Sailor Venus and Eternal Sailor Jupiter floating outside.

Joe says, shocked, "Those are…!" Just then Sailor Jupiter points up and she flies up towards the roof.

Kari says, with a smile, "I guess they want to talk with me." Kari gets up and she says, with a smile, "Be right back."

Davis says, with a smirk, "Not without me, you aren't." Kari smiles at Davis in which Davis, Kari, and their two Digimon take off with the others looking outside as Sailor Venus blows TK a kiss before flying off to join Sailor Jupiter on the roof to meet with Davis, Kari, and their two Digimon.

Mimi says, looking at TK, "Wow, you actually did get a Sailor Scout as a girlfriend."

TK says, weakly, "Told you…But I would rather not have met her…here like this…"

Matt tells TK, with a weak smile, "Better start building up…that muscle…and especially your stamina…we are talking about the…Sailor Scout of Love…after all…"

TK says, with a blush, "Matt…" However, Tai is in deep thought as he remembered what happened in the Ruby Palace and what he heard from Kayaba about the 'war to come' in which he can't help to wonder about his sister's and Davis' role in it as well as their 'deeper connection' to Sailor Celestial and Sailor Moon.

 _ **February 7, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District, Cherry Hill Temple**_

At Cherry Hill Temple, the Shinto temple home of our Sailor Senshi of Mars, we find Ami, Raye, Amara, Michelle, Hotaru, and Trista are assembled together in the 'front yard' of Raye's home.

Hotaru asks, "So, Sailor Celestial…I mean Suguha-hime is full of bruises?"

Trista says, with a nod, "They are not only external, but internal bruises as well."

Michelle asks, surprised, "Internal?"

Amara says, "Somehow, it was caused by the battle with Kayaba."

Ami says, "With the pain absorbers practically gone, I can see how the body can be fooled that it got injured through it is hard to believe that it would manifest like that."

Raye says, "Well, she is just lucky that when she got impaled, the real thing didn't happen."

Amara says, "However, I'm amazed that she could withstand such pain and agony."

Hotaru asks Amara, "What do you mean Amara-papa?"

Trista says, "Without the pain absorbers, Suguha felt every single hit and she was in a virtual body which mean she wasn't getting the usual adrenaline and other hormones that the body produces that usually dulls pain."

Amara says, "Which means that she was feeling the full force of those hits beyond what a person would experience even in real life." Hotaru gasps in shock and Amara says, "The agony she felt must been beyond belief."

Michelle says, "And yet, she still went on and on until the battle was finished."

Hotaru asks, concerned, "Will she be okay?"

Trista says, with a smile, "Yes, she will just fine. The doctor revealed that while she has extensive bruising, she is suffering from no life-endangering injuries."

Michelle says, with a smile, "That's good to know."

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, "Hey, is this a private party or can any Sailor Scout join?" Everyone looks to see none other than Kari, Davis, and their two Digimon partners in front of them.

Ami says, stunned, "You are…!"

Just then Mina's voice booms, "That's right!" Mina and Lita walk up to join Kari, Davis, and their two Digimon partners and Mina says, motioning to Kari, "Here is our little sun spot and her prince."

Kari says, with a dry smile, "Funny, Mina."

Lita says, "Their family and friends that were trapped in SAO are in a hospital right here in Juuban."

Trista tells Kari and Davis, "You realize that we have much to talk about."

Davis says, "Yep."

Kari says, "The others have told us of the situation happening here in Tokyo."

Raye says, with a nod, "Your friends and we are going to need your help than ever before especially with Meatball Head going to be out of commission as she recovers."

Kari asks, "What about Leafa and Sinon?"

Trista says, "We haven't visited Orion just yet, but Sailor Celestial, while it isn't going to be as long as Sailor Moon, she is going to need time to recover."

Ami says, "You have to remember that she gained her powers a few days…on the day that she beat Kayaba and ended SAO."

Gatomon says, "Her body, while nothing like Tai and the others, is going to be a bit weak."

Lita tells Kari, "That means that we are going to need you on the front lines, girlfriend. You and your boyfriend with your partners."

Davis says, cracking his knuckles, "Well, I say: Bring it on!"

Kari giggles at Davis' enthusiasm and Lita asks, "Speaking of Orion, did you find her?"

Ami says, with a smile, "Yes. We are going to visit soon if not today."

Amara says, "And it isn't just her. We have to visit everyone else on the SAO 'Assault Team'."

Davis then says, "Why…Oh, yeah! That!"

Amara responds, with a nod, "That's right. 'That'. We need to have a word with them."

Davis says, nervously, "No insult, but I'm glad that I'm not the guy or gal meeting you."

Amara gives an annoyed glare and Michelle says, with a kind smile, "I really don't blame you, Davis-dono. Amara-chan tends to be scary." Amara gives a blush of embarrassment, Hotaru sighs and shakes her head, and Veemon gives a confused look.

 _ **February 8, 2025, Tokyo, Yokohama North General Hospital**_

Back in Yokohama North General Hospital, Shino, in a wheelchair, is being wheeled over to the area for her rehabilitation. Despite being in SAO far less than the other SAO survivors, Shino's body is significantly weaker than before and she needs to build up her strength once more. With her is a nurse that's pushing the wheelchair that she is in and there is Doctor Kurahashi, who is head of the Medicuboid project in the hospital.

A fellow nurse comes over to Doctor Kurahashi and she asks, "Doctor?"

Doctor Kurahashi responds, "Yes, what is it?"

The nurse replies, a bit nervously, "Two members of SAO Task Force are here to see you."

Doctor Kurahashi asks, a bit annoyed, "What do they want this time?"

The nurse asks, "Shall I turn them away?"

Doctor Kurahashi says, shaking his head, "No. Send them in." The nurse nods her head and heads off with Shino looking confused in which she gives a look of shock when she sees Trista and Ami, both of whom wearing female business suits, walk into the room. Doctor Kurahashi says, shocked, "You are…!"

Trista says, with a smile, "Hello, Doctor Kurahashi. It is good to see you again."

Ami says, with a bow, "It is nice to see you, again, Doctor Kurahashi."

Doctor Kurahashi's look of surprise turns into a smile and he says, "I see."

Trista says, looking at Shino, "As you may suspect, we aren't here on business from the SAO Task Force. This is a personal matter from a friend of ours."

Doctor Kurahashi says, with a smile while looking at Shino, "I see, Trista-san." Shino looks at Trista and Ami and she gives a weak smile as well as a nod.

 _ **February 9, 2025, Tokyo, Tokorozawa**_

Within a top class hospital in Tokorozawa, which was more like a hotel than a medical hospital facility, Asuna Yuuki, age 17, daughter of the head of RCT cooperation, and the only person to use her real name for her SAO avatar and looking much paler and weaker than her avatar looked, is sitting in a wheelchair and breathing heavily while her brother, Kouichirou Yuuki, the one who had brought the NervGear and SAO game cartridge that was used to trap her in SAO, look at her with concern.

Kouichirou says, concerned, "You shouldn't work so hard, Asuna."

Asuna says, weakly, "I know…But I…want to see…everyone…"

Kouichirou is amazed at Asuna's determination in her voice and he says, after several seconds of silence, "These friends must mean a lot to you."

Asuna says, weakly and with a weak smile, "They were…my world for…two long years…brother…"

Kouichirou says, with a smile, "I see…" Just then footsteps are heard and Asuna and Kouichirou look to see Ami and Trista walking over to them with Asuna's and Kouichirou's father, Shouzou Yuuki, the head of RCT, are by their side.

Trista says, with a kind smile, "Good day."

Shouzou says, "This is Trista Meiou and Ami Mizuno. They are both members of the SAO Task Force."

Kouichirou asks, surprised, "They are?"

Trista says, motioning to Ami, "My friend, Ami-chan, may seem young since she just entered college, but her ability is not one to be trifled with."

Ami says, solemnly, "However, Kayaba's own intelligence and ingenuity surpassed my own as well as my colleges."

Trista says, plainly, "However, we are on a personal 'mission'. One of our friends is an SAO victim…Or more or less, an SAO survivor like your sister."

Kouichirou gives a look of surprise and he says, looking at Asuna with a 'longing' look on her expression, "I see. You are here because of one of Asuna's friends from 'that world'…"

Ami says, with a nod, "That's right. She is a very good friend of ours."

Trista goes over to Asuna and she tells her, with a warm smile, "Your friend, 'The White Valkyrie', says hello."

Asuna responds, "I'm glad…to hear from her…" Asuna's brother and father give confused looks and she thinks in her mind, _"I won't give up, Usagi-chan. I will continue to go forward until I find you and Kirito-kun again."_

 _ **February 21, 2025, Tokyo, Kirigaya household**_

Within the Kirigaya household, Suguha, looking much better than she did when she left SAO, is walking into her room and helping her brother, while looking better, but still quite weak looking and walking on a pair of crutches as an aid, into the room.

Suguha tells Kazuto, "Easy, big brother."

Kazuto says, "Thanks, Sugu…" Suguha then gently helps Kazuto sit down on her bed.

Suguha says, "That rehabilitation is murder."

Kazuto says, "I'm not sure that it is, Sugu. However, this shows that we are back in the real world."

Suguha says, "Yeah, when we are struggling to breath…much less walk."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Well, you don't have to worry about that."

Suguha tells Kazuto, annoyed, "Hey, Kazuto! I'm not at full strength either. And while I don't have to go through that anymore, I still had to go through rehabilitation too. It was a real pain in the neck especially back during those first days."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Yeah, it was…" Kazuto then looks up at the ceiling of Suguha's room and sees a poster with Suguha's ALO avatar, Leafa, flying through the blue skies and clouds.

Suguha sees what Kazuto is looking at and Suguha says, with a smile, "Yeah, it was an in-game picture that I paid to make into a poster."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "You look really happy."

Suguha says, with a warm smile, "Yeah, it was an experience. When I was in ALO and flying through the virtual skies, I never felt so…so…so free. Flying high with the wind whipping around your body…it is feeling that you can't describe."

Kazuto says, with a grin, "I bet, Sugu."

Suguha says, with a warm weak smile, "It was a real pain that it only lasted ten minutes at a time and I originally dreamed of completely the main quest of ALO to become an ALF in which I could fly as long as I wanted…"

Kazuto says, with a solemn tone, "Until you learned that dream was a lie. Sugou planned to use ALO for his inhuman experiments by transferring a number of SAO players into ALO with the modifications to the router that he made. That didn't happen only due to somebody influencing with experiments that got him trapped in SAO with us."

Suguha says, with a nod, "True. However, it was found out what Sugou's purpose was for ALO and they had to shut it down."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Thankfully, he wasn't able to use ALO for his horrible experiments, so, the public at large doesn't know the full truth for shutting down ALO. Plus, we heard from Trista and Ami that they won't be taking down ALO for good. They will just eliminate the false 'Grand Quest' and they said that when they bring ALO back, you will be able to fly all the time."

Suguha says, "Yeah…"

Kazuto looks over to see a ring-like Full-Dive device and he asks, "Is that it?"

Suguha says, "Oh, yeah. You never saw it until now did you? That's right. That's the Amusphere, the device created to replace the NervGear."

Kazuto asks Suguha, "Can I see it?"

Suguha responds, "Sure." Suguha goes over, takes her Amusphere, and puts it into Kazuto's hands in which she says, with a scolding tone, "Don't you dare break it? Mom bought it for me."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "She must have been shocked."

Suguha responds, "Yep. She gave a look that I looked like a grew a second head or something like that." Kazuto giggles at Suguha's statement and then they hear a doorbell ringing. Suguha tells Kazuto, "I'll get it, big brother." Suguha then leaves her room and heads down to the front door. She then looks out the peephole and she gasps to see Davis, Kari, and their two Digimon partners, Veemon and Gatomon.

Suguha gasps as she unlocks and opens the door in which Kari says, "Hello there."

Suguha asks, "Dai? Akari?"

Davis and Kari are surprised and Davis asks, "Hey, how do you know those names?"

Suguha says, with a smile, "It's me! I look different since you knew me in my ALO avatar!"

Kari says, surprised, "Wait! Your voice…!" Kari asks, surprised, "Leafa?"

Suguha responds, with a smile, "That's right. However, I'm Suguha…Suguha Kirigaya."

Davis says, amazed, "Wow. You do look different."

Kari says, with a smile, "Well, it is nice to finally meet you in real life, Leafa…I mean Suguha. My real name Hikari Kamiya, but my friends call me Kari."

Suguha tells Kari, with a smile, "Nice to meet you, Kari."

Davis says, with a grin, "The name is Daisuke Motomiya, but my buds call me Davis."

Suguha tells Davis, "Nice to meet you, Davis." Suguha then asks, "Wait! How were you able to find…?!" Suguha then says, "Oh, yeah."

Kari says, with a smile, "Izzy also assisted the SAO Task Force too." Kari asks Suguha, "Can we come in?"

Suguha responds, with a nod and smile, "Sure." Suguha escorts Davis, Kari, and their two Digimon partners inside and soon after, they are all together in Suguha's room with Kazuto.

Kazuto says, "It is nice to see you again."

Kari says, with a smile, "It is good to see you, too, Kirito…I mean Kazuto."

Kazuto asks Davis and Kari, "How are Taichi and the others doing?"

Davis says, "Well, TAI and the others are doing okay…Well, just as well as you."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "I thought so."

Kari says, "I've been with the other Sailor Scouts, but then you already know that already."

Suguha says, with a nod, "Yeah, you have been on the news."

Davis says, with a grin, "And kicking butt, too!"

Kari says, with a nervous blush, "Geez, Dai-kun…" Kari asks Suguha, "Anyway, how are you feeling?"

Suguha responds, "A lot better. The doctors and nurse are amazed at my recovery despite me being only in SAO for around several months rather than the two years that big brothers and the others were in."

Kazuto says, "Since Suguha does a lot of kendo, it was the perfect excuse to hide her enhanced recovery abilities as a Sailor Scout."

Davis says, with a grin, "Guess that means Senshi of Reality is going to make her grand appearance soon."

Kazuto winches at that and Suguha says, with a sigh, "Big brother, like it or not, I'm a Sailor Senshi and you know that this is my duty."

Kazuto responds, "I know, but I'm your big brother and that's why I'm worried."

Suguha responds, "It's not like I'm going to be alone out there. I'll have Kari and the other Scouts with me." Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Like I'm worthy of fighting beside her…"_

Kazuto asks Davis and Kari, "Anyway, I heard that you will be joining us at the SAO school, right?"

Davis and Kari smile and Kari says, "Yes. Luke put in the word that the two of us were in a coma until recently and we had recently come out of rehab. We are to be made 'special students' of SAO school."

Suguha says, "Seijirou-san seems to be really interested in keeping anymore 'incidents' with Full-Dive VR from 'popping up'."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Yes, I get what you saying Sugu."

Davis says, nodding his head, "He is someone to look out for."

Kari asks Davis, "Are you sure?"

Davis tells Kari, "After what happened with Kayaba, you can't be too careful."

Kari says, with a nod and a sigh, "Too true."

Kazuto says, "I have to agree with Davis."

Suguha asks Kazuto, "But it isn't just what happened with us and SAO that has got you 'suspicious' of him, right?"

Kazuto asks, with a smile, "I'm that obvious, huh?"

Suguha retorts, with a smile, "We are family from two lifetimes, big brother."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "True, Sugu."

Kari asks, "Guess you are remembering more of your Silver Millennium 'heritage'."

Suguha says, "Same with you."

Kari asks Suguha, "Are you going to be okay?"

Suguha says, with a smile through sight hints of nervousness are in that smile, "Yep!" Suguha says, getting to her feet, "Anyway, I'll get some drinks ready." Suguha heads out with Davis and Kazuto notice some quickness in her steps.

With Suguha gone, Veemon asks, "Is she going to be okay?"

Davis, Kari, Veemon, and Gatomon look at Kazuto and he says, with a sigh, "Sugu…has been going through a lot lately. She has been dealing with learning about her 'connection' to SAO."

Kari says, solemnly, "All those deaths…just to force her to relive that horrible experience…"

Davis says, "What do you expect from madmen like him, Kari-chan? He betrayed her in the past and he betrayed his other 'former daughter' today."

Kazuto says, "Which is why I will never forgive him. I can never forgive Kayaba now and forever." Davis and Kari nod their heads in understand and Kazuto says, "And those facts are worse since the fact that Kayaba is the overall winner of SAO." Davis gives a look of surprise and Kazuto says, "Kayaba got exactly what he wanted. He created his 'other world' and he saw the 'story' that developed and most of all, he forced Sugu to awaken as Sailor Celestial after over ten centuries."

Davis snarls at this and Gatomon says, "You have a point."

Davis says, plainly, "That's stinks." Kazuto nods his head, but on the meanwhile, Suguha is downstairs and she looks to see her right arm shaking in which she holds her right arm.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"I don't know if I could remain with them much longer. I couldn't believe it was THEM. Them for all people in SAO! I was shocked that I didn't break down when I learned that Dai and Akari…Davis and Kari were THEM! The 'symbols' of my shame…my sin…"_ Suguha shakes her head and she thinks, _"But then again, I had more important things to do at the time. But now…I just…I just can't...I'm such a coward! What can I say? How can I say it?!"_ Suguha looks at her broach in her right hand and she thinks, _"Do I deserve redemption after all that I and my powers have done? Do I really deserve a future?"_

 _ **February 28, 2025, Neo Domino City**_

Within the Kaiba Dome of Neo Domino City, Davis, with an activated Neo Domino City duel disk attached to his left wrist, is 'facing off' against another duelist in a dueling tournament with Elemental Hero Flame Wingman (2100/1200) destroying an enemy monster.

Davis yells out, "Bingo! And due to Wingman's special ability, you lose life-points equal to attack of your destroyed monster! That means that's game buster!" Flame Wingman holds out his right hand and blasts the opposing duelist, the 'owner' of the monster that Flame Wingman just destroyed, causing him to lose the rest of his life-points as well as ending the duel.

Just then the MC, Master of Ceremonies, of the tournament yells out through the speaker system, "With a stunning reversal, Daisuke Motomiya wins the tournament!" There are cheers from the crowds and a bit later on, Davis is on the stand as Lazar, the current mayor of Neo Domino City, comes up and hands Davis a plaque with glass cover in which plaque contains six Synchro Monster cards in which they are: Stardust Dragon (2500/2000), Red Dragon Archfiend (3000/2000), Ancient Fairy Dragon (2100/3000), Black Rose Dragon (2400/1800), Black-Winged Dragon (2800/1600), and Life-Stream Dragon (2900/2400).

Lazar says, with a smile, "And now, for the prize of the tournament: These are duplicates of the Synchro Monster cards used by the heroes of Neo Domino City: Team Five-Ds!" There are gasps of shock from plenty in the crowds and such and Davis can't help to be amazed, but as Davis took the plaque/container with the six Synchro Monster cards, Davis' right arm gives off a slight crimson glow in which Kari's right arm also does as well, however, no one seems to really notice other than Lazar for one, who gives a silent smirk at this, while on the stands, there is a familiar light blue haired young man with brown hair with a strange yellow 'mark' going down the right side of his face and he looks at Davis and Kari extensively.

 _ **March 7, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Within the Juuban District of Tokyo, we are inside of a certain apartment complex where we find our Moon Princess and Senshi of the Moon, Serena Tsukino, now looking much better than what she just got of SAO through still looking thinner than she usually does, is in the living room of that apartment room.

Serena says, with a sigh, "I'm finally glad that I don't have to use those crutches anymore, but my body is still weak. It feels…weird. Guess…I'm not used to life back here." Serena looks around and she says, plainly and with a longing look, "It has been a month since I came back…since I returned from 'there'. I guess that it still doesn't feel 'real' to me." Just then there is a knock on the door and Serena walks over to the door in which she opens the door, expecting her boyfriend and future husband, Darien Shields, but when she opens the door, she gasps in surprise to find Suguha and Kazuto, on a pair of crutches, at her front door. Serena yells out, shocked, "Kirito!"

Kazuto tells Serena, "It's Kazuto here and it has been a quite a while, Usagi."

Serena responds, "Sorry…And it is Serena."

Kazuto says, "Right, my mistake."

Serena asks, looking at Suguha, "And who is this?"

Suguha responds, "Don't tell me that you forget me already sis?" Serena gives a confused look and Suguha displays her broach causing Serena to gasp in shock.

Serena says, stunned, "You are…!"

Suguha puts her right index finger against her lips and she says, "Easy. You want the whole building to know? Let's get inside first." Soon enough, Suguha and Kazuto enter the apartment home and after Serena closes and locks the door, Suguha helps her brother onto the couch.

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Thanks, Sugu."

Suguha says, "No problem, big brother."

Serena tells Suguha, "You look so different…"

Suguha responds, "I did say that my ALO avatar is different from my real self, sis."

Serena says, with a slight nervous smile, "Yeah, you did say over and over again." Serena says, "Well, it is nice to finally meet you in person, Leafa…I mean Suguha."

Suguha says, "Same here…Serena."

Kazuto tells Serena, "You seem well."

Serena says, "Only because my powers kept me in better than shape than the rest of us stuck all those years, Kirito…Kazuto. And they are helping my recovery. However, I need to eat a lot more and not just to get some meat back on my bones."

Suguha responds, "It is because you are linked to the Silver Crystal and that's what helped kept you in better as well as helping in your recovery. Because of that, you need to eat to maintain your energy and not have your body turn into bones especially since it isn't keeping your unconscious body from 'degrading' anymore."

Serena says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Kazuto says, "As you can see, Sugu and I are regaining our Silver Millennium memories."

Serena says, nodding in understand, "I see."

Kazuto tells Serena, "It just doesn't feel 'real', does it?"

Serena asks Kazuto, "You, too, huh?"

Kazuto nods his head and Suguha says, "Can't really blame you since it only has been a month."

Serena says, "Had a few nightmares about this being a dream and we were really back 'there'."

Kazuto says, nodding his head in understand, "Feel the same way."

Suguha asks, "Curious on how we found you?"

Serena replies, with a smile, "I've got a feeling that a 'little Senshi' told you."

Kazuto asks, "So, where is Mamoru?"

Serena responds, "His actual name is Darien and he is out." Serena says, having a concerned look on her face, "He said that he was going on for supplies, but I…"

Kazuto asks, curiously, "You have a bad feeling?"

Serena says, "Yes. I know that he can take care of himself, but I have just got a feeling."

Suguha says, "I'm sure that he is just fine."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Remember, Serena and Darien forged that bond back in the Silver Millennium and it was a bond made by their true emotions for each other. It is a powerful psychic connection." Suguha nods her head and she takes a remote control in which she turns on the television which shows a news channel and showing a report with the title 'Battle at the Bay'.

The anchorman says, "News Flash! Tokyo Bay has become a war zone! A legion of monsters is attacking the bay area now!" Kazuto, Suguha, and Serena gasp in shock and on the television, the anchorman says, continuing his report, "The police and the Self-Defense forces have come in, but they…Wait! I'm getting a report that the Sailor Scouts have arrived on the scene!"

Serena asks, shocked, "What?!"

The anchorman says, continuing his report, "Confirmed! The Sailor Scouts and their mysterious ally, known as Tuxedo Mask, have been confirmed arriving in the area. They have the mysterious new Sailor Scout, Sailor Sun, and various…other 'allies'. More details as they come in viewers!"

Serena asks, shocked, "Why haven't they called me?"

Kazuto tells Serena, "You know why Serena."

Suguha says, "No joke, big brother." Suguha tells Serena, "You are still recovering Serena." Suguha says, with a determined tone, "However, I'm not." Suguha takes out her broach and opens the sidling window door.

Kazuto says, "Sugu!"

Suguha tells Kazuto, "You know that this had to happen sooner or later, big brother. It's time for the world to meet Sailor Celestial."

" **Valkyrie Celestial Power, Make-up!** "

With this words, Suguha leaps into the air as her broach opens up and Suguha is bathed in its power as her clothing is replaced by her armored fuku, her hair has become blond and longer in which it is tied in the same ponytail as her ALO avatar, Leafa, and with her transformation done, Valkyrie Sailor Celestial takes flight and moves at incredible speed towards Tokyo Bay.

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "There she goes…"

Serena says, solemnly, "We knew that this day would come."

Kazuto says, "What Trivia and the other Scouts kept saying to me. I just…"

Serena says, taking her Eternal Tier broach from her sub-space pocket, "I know, Kazuto. I know." Serena looks at her broach and she thinks, _"I can't just stand here! Not after what I…What we went through! People and the people I love are in danger! And I'm just…!"_

Kazuto tells Serena, "Serena, I understand. But you aren't strong enough yet."

Serena says, with a nod, "I know! I know that, but I…I just can't! After what happened…After all those years of pain…suffering…toil…I can't stand standing around when people are getting hurt especially those that I love the most! I need to be stronger for them! I need to protect them all!" Just then Serena's broach glows in which Kazuto and Serena gasp in shock and Kazuto is forced to cover his eyes as the light from Serena's broach is blind, but somehow, Serena, who's golden crescent moon sigil appeared on her forehead, is able to see her broach transform into a brand new broach that's slightly bigger than her previous broach in which heart-shaped broach is like a prism in texture and color, there are crossed silver swords in the center of the broach, a golden crescent moon in the center of the sword, with Slifer the Sky Dragon, Ancient Fairy Dragon, and Ancient Pixie Dragon surrounding the swords, the broach has eight white wings surrounding and attached to the sides of the broach.

The light dies down and Kazuto is able to see Serena's new broach causing him to ask, "What just happened?"

Serena responds, confused, "I don't know…" Just then an image of a woman that looks like a Sailor Scout that's looks similar to Sailor Celestial, but she also has physical features of her as Sailor Moon as well appears in her mind causing Serena to then says, with a determined expression not seen in her before SAO, "But I know what I need to do with it."

Serena heads towards the porch, Kazuto tells her, "Usagi…Serena, you can't! You are better shape than me, but you are far from fully recovered."

Serena says, "I know, but…I can't stand back…I will never stay back ever again." Serena then heads to the porch of Darien's apartment home and she prepares to transform and head off to aid Sailor Celestial, her Scouts, and her beloved in the battle in Tokyo Bay.

 _ **March 7, 2025, Tokyo**_

Somewhere within Tokyo, we are at a café where we find a young woman sitting down at a table and having a cup of tea.

This young woman has shoulder-length black hair, black eyes, and wearing a black and white dress with long sleeves, a gray zipper in the collarbone and a white ruff on the neck, black goggles with gray lens and white straps with a black line in the middle on her left arm, a black pantyhose, and gray shoes.

She puts the cup down and she looks a deck of Duel Monsters cards in which she thinks in her mind, _"I won't let you get away, Suguha. You think that you can betray us and think that you are through? You will not be forgiven and you will never have any peace. When we have rebuilt…"_ Just then the young woman sees a person in a business suit sitting down in front of the same table.

The man tells her, "I believe that you are Yuuko-san, yes?"

The young woman responds, narrowing her eyes and in a plain tone, "And if I am?"

The man responds, "I am here as a mere messenger. My employer wishes for you to know the truth about your brother's death."

The young woman replies, her eyes narrowing dangerous and in the same plain tone, but with a dangerous 'edge', "Explain."

The man says, "It isn't very complicated. The person that has betrayed the organization that she brought you into is the one responsible."

The young woman asks, her eyes widening, "What?"

The man responds, "The reason that your brother died was Kayaba was targeting THAT person."

The young woman asks, plainly, "What kind of game you are playing?"

The man tells the young woman, "No game, I assure you. Do you wish to know the full details of the truth? If you think that I am playing some kind of 'game', I will leave."

The young woman doesn't say a word for several moments and she then replies, "Tell me everything."

The man responds, slyly, "As you wish. However, I must inform you that rebuilding that organization that you once belonged to may not work and I may have a solution to get your justice."

The young woman retorts, "We shall see after what you tell me." The man just gives a sly smirk as he starts to tell the young woman something and the more he talked, the more that the young woman's eyes narrow in anger and rage causing her to break off the handle for the cup of tea that she had.

 _ **Late March 2025, Tokyo, Okachimachi**_

Right now, in Okachimachi within Tokyo, there is man of around 30 years of age with a bald head and looking of African-American descent and he hears a knock on the door where he looks up to see Suguha and Kazuto, no longer using crutches anymore, is walking into the café.

The African-American male says, "Hey, there."

Suguha says, excitedly, "Hey, Agil!"

The African-American male responds, "It's Andrew."

Kazuto says, "Nice to see you again."

The male of African-American descent, Andrew Gilbert Mills, known as SAO as Agil, responds, "Great to see you, too, man." Andrew says, looking at Suguha, "This must be Leafa's 'true form'."

Suguha responds, with a nod, "Yep! My real name is Suguha…Suguha Kirigaya. And this is my brother, Kazuto Kirigaya."

Andrew says, with a nod, "Right." Andrew asks Kazuto, "So, is it true?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Yeah…Sugu was there."

Andrew asks Suguha, "How is our girl?"

Suguha says, with a plain tone, "Going through a lot…"

Andrew says, with a nod, "I'll bet." Just then the three of them hear the door open in which they look to see none other than our Digidestined and their Digimon partners coming into the café along with Davis' sister, Jun Motomiya.

Tai says, seeing Kazuto, "Hey, Kirito!"

Kazuto tells Tai, "Nice to see you, again, Taichi. You are looking well."

Tai says, "You, too. And it is actually Tai."

Mimi asks, "Is this your friend from that place?"

TK says, with a smile and motioning to Kazuto, "That's right. That's our friend, Kirito, the 'legendary Black Swordsman' of SAO."

Kazuto asks, nervously, "Legendary Black Swordsman?"

Suguha says, with a grin, "It seems like you have gained quite the name for yourself."

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "Wish that I didn't Sugu."

Yolei asks, looking at Suguha, "Wait! That voice…Are you…Leafa?!"

Suguha responds, with a smile, "Yep!"

Jun says, amazed, "Whoa! You weren't kidding when you said that your avatar didn't look like your real self." Jun says, with a smirk, "Other than your 'body type'."

Suguha yells out, with a blush of embarrassment, "What do you mean by that?!"

Davis asks Jun, "Seriously, Jun?"

Andrew says, with a smile, "It is good to see you all again and I see that you have brought your friends."

Matt says, "That's right, Agil."

Cody asks, motioning to Andrew, "Is he a friend of yours?"

Ken says, "Yes, Cody. A very good friend to a lot of players."

Kazuto says, with a smirk, "Through some might not think so."

Andrew says, "Hey, bro. Don't go off slandering my good man." Andrew and Kazuto share a nice laugh when everyone hears the door opening again in which everyone looks to see none other than Darien, Serena, and the Sailor Scouts entering the café.

Kari says, "Hey!"

Mina says, "Hey, girlfriend!" Mina then goes over to TK and he says, with a sly smile, "Hey, Takeru-kun."

TK responds, "It is good to see you, Mina-chan." Mina then kisses TK on the lips causing TK's cheeks to become cherry red.

Tai says, with a smirk, "Get a room you too."

Just then a familiar female voice says, "Got that right!" Everyone then looks as Darien and the Sailor Scouts then escort Shino, looking completely healthy now and wearing her glasses unlike her avatar, someone that looks like Silica, the dragon tamer from SAO, someone that looks like Lisbeth, expect that her hair was brown along with her eyes, someone that looks like Philia, the treasure hunter from SAO, and someone that looks like Klein, Kazuto's best friend as Kirito in SAO, walk into the room.

Kazuto asks, surprised, "Silica? Philia? Klein?"

The brown haired version of Lisbeth asks, "Hey! What am I? Chopped liver?"

Kazuto looks a bit confused and Serena tells Kazuto, pointing to her, "That's Liz!"

Kazuto asks, surprised, "Huh? Liz?"

The brown haired version of Lisbeth responds, with an annoyed look, "I haven't seen you in nearly two months and you already forget me, Kirito!"

Kazuto replies, a bit nervously, "No! No! It is just…!"

The brown haired version of Lisbeth retorts, with a smirk, "Just joking! Just joking!" She then says, "But seriously, do I really look that different? It is just my hair and eyes that were different."

Kazuto responds, a bit nervously, "Guess I'm a bit used to what you look like in SAO."

The brown haired version of Lisbeth replies, "Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, my name, here, is Rika…Rika Shinozaki."

Kazuto responds, "Nice to see you, again, Liz. I'm Kazuto Kirigaya."

The person that looks like Silica says, "I'm Keiko Ayano, Kirito…I mean Kazuto-san."

The person that looks like Philia says, "I'm Kotone…Kotone Takemiya, Kirito."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Good to see you again, Philia…I mean Kotone."

The person that looks like Klein asks, looking at Suguha, "Who is the cute girl with you, bro?"

Suguha responds, holding up her broach, "Remember me now?"

The four newcomers gasp in shock and Keiko asks, "L-Leafa?!"

Rika whistles and she says, "Man, you weren't kidding when you said that your avatar and you don't look alike." Rika says, with a grin, "Well, compared to how tall you are and your face, but your body…"

Suguha yells out, with a major hue on her cheeks, "Cut it out!"

Kazuto says, with a smile, "It seems all of you are doing fine."

Keiko says, "Our bodies are close to being back to what they were before SAO."

Kotone says, "It was hard experience."

Serena says, with a nod, "No kidding. My powers made it easier for me, but only somewhat and I had to eat a lot due to my stomach going into overdrive or I would have been skin and bones for a lot longer."

Shino says, "It must be a hard burden to bear."

Serena says, "You haven't gotten to the half of it, Shino."

Rika says, with a grin, "Oh, by the way, there is someone else to see you, Kirito." Kazuto looks at Rika and his eyes widen when Asuna Yuuki walks into the room.

Kazuto asks, surprised, "Asuna?"

Asuna responds, with a warm smile, "Hello, Kirito-kun." Asuna then runs and hugs Kazuto in which he hugs her back with the two of them looking into each other's eyes longingly.

Plenty of the others smile at this and Rika tells them, with a smirk, "Get a room you two!" Asuna and Kazuto immediately break off from their hug and blush like mad afterwards. A good time afterwards, all of them are assembled together as Andrew brings out drinks for all of them with the suitcase containing the Duel Monsters cards and the crystal pendulums that they had gotten from Rinko Koujiro, the woman that loved Akihiko Kayaba and tended to his body while he was Full-Dive in SAO and kept his body preserved when he destroyed his brain when he downloaded his mind into the 'digital plane'.

Klein AKA Ryoutarou Tsuboi asks, "So, the jerk had already fried his own brain and downloaded his mind into Aincrad completely by the time that we reached him?"

Ami says, "Based on the records, yes."

Kazuto says, "He was making sure that SAO remained stable until the 'final confrontation' happened."

Kotone says, "His duel with your sister…Usagi's…I mean Serena's and your sister."

Suguha says, with a nod, "Bingo."

Shino says, thoughtfully, "All that death…struggle…and strife…just because he couldn't let go of the past."

Keiko asks, curiously, "Do you think…he is really gone?"

Ken says, "That's a good question, Silica…Keiko. Remember, once your HP hits zero, your avatar is deleted and you know what happened to your body. However, since Kayaba already destroyed his own body and downloaded his mind into his own avatar…"

Cody says, "We can assume that his 'mental data' has been deleted along with his avatar."

Darien says, with a nod, "That's a good assumption. And personally, I don't think many would blame you for assuming that, but…"

Kazuto says, nodding his head, "I feel the same way. Kayaba wouldn't let himself go…At least not so easily."

Ryoutarou says, "Let's forget about that jerk. We have a reunion to get to and a big party to plan!"

Lita asks, "Party?"

Ryoutarou responds, excitedly, "Yeah! We're out of SAO and we're finally out of the hospitals! It's time for the big reunion party to celebration the conquering that castle!"

Davis says, with a grin, "Sounds pretty good to me!"

Mina says, excitedly, "Yeah!"

On the meanwhile, Kazuto asks Ami, "About what I sent you…?"

Ami responds, "Thanks to the aid of Ken, Izzy, and Andrew, we've made sure that it is completely safe."

Suguha asks Kazuto, "What will you do big brother?"

Kazuto says, "I can never forgive Kayaba for what he did to you…to Serena…to all of us, but I think that the technology still has a future and we can't let what he did ruin it."

Serena says, "I agree. Full-Dive virtual reality and VRMMO should have a fair chance."

Andrew asks, "So, you plan…?"

Kazuto says, "Yes, I do. I want to see what this 'blooms' into and as much as I hate to admit, I want to see what Kayaba wants to see in this case: What's over the next 'horizon'."

Asuna tells Kazuto, "So do I, Kirito-kun." Kazuto looks at Asuna and she says, warmly, "I want to see the 'new world' that can be created. Plus, we can see Yui-chan and Strea-chan again."

Kazuto says, "Ami, Izzy, and the others say that their data is just fine."

Izzy says, with a smile, "We're making special computers and equipment for them."

Asuna says, "I can't wait to see them again."

Kazuto says, "Same here, Asuna."

Ryoutarou shouts out, "Easy, lovebirds! You can chill out at your 'love nest' later! Let's get this reunion really started!" Plenty of the others smile at Klein while Kazuto and Asuna gain blushes on their cheeks as well as give annoyed looks, but soon enough, our heroes and heroines assembled together start to enjoy their 'reunion' together.

Kotone tells Kazuto and Serena, "Kirito, I really don't how to thank you and Usagi for what you have done for me."

Kazuto tells Kotone, "It was no problem, Philia."

Kotone says, "We knew that you were a good person."

Kotone says, with a smile, "Thank you." Kotone says, looking outside, "It still feel like it was dream, but we know that it was all real."

Serena says, "Yeah, it was."

Kotone asks Serena, "Will you be all right?"

Serena responds, with a sigh and kind smile, "In time, Philia."

Darien comes over and he says, with a loving smile, "And you'll have us…All of us to help you heal from this Meatball Head."

Serena tells Darien, with a warm loving tone, "I know, Darien-kun."

Darien tells Serena, "And you can't focus on the negative aspects of what happened."

Kazuto tells Serena, "Your boyfriend is right, Serena."

Asuna says, with a nod, "SAO brought the three of us together and brought us with Liz, Silica, Klein, Sinonon, and Philia. And then brought all of us with them." Asuna motions to the Digidestined and Sailor Scouts with Jun and the Digidestined's Digimon partners.

Serena says, with a smile, "True."

Kazuto says, looking at Suguha, "Yeah…"

Asuna asks Kazuto, "Kirito-kun?"

Kazuto responds, "Sorry, Asuna."

Serena tells Kazuto, "You are worried about our sister, aren't you?"

Kazuto responds, smiling at Serena, "Can't fool you, can I?"

Serena replies, "Nope!"

Kotone says, looking at Suguha, "Leafa…I mean Suguha has a big burden on her."

Darien says, "Etherion…the power…No, the EMBODIMENT of creation itself."

Kazuto says, "They are going to come for Sugu. All of them that crave her power."

Asuna says, holding Kazuto's hand, "And you'll be there for her, Kirito-kun. We'll all be there for her." Kazuto warmly smiles at Asuna with Serena, Kotone, and Darien joining in on the smiling in which they join back with the rest of the group as they continue their little 'reunion' and plan for a bigger reunion/celebration party in the upcoming month as well as plan to continue onto the future and the battles to come together…

 **The End…For Now**

Well, here is the next short story. It is basically a kind of 'retelling' of the **Epilogue** of **Hollow Fragment** though you can call it what happened 'behind the scenes'. As you may already realize, it shows the connection between **Hollow Fragment** and **World's Song** stories since I included the flashbacks seen in **World's Song**. However, there is also a bit of foreshadowing into the upcoming arcs of **World's Song** , but I'm going to leave that to you to figure out, folks. However, this isn't the end of the stories of events that happened in-between these two stories of this 'timeline' of the **Sailor Moon Online** story series, but you are going to have to wait and find out when they come out.

With the rate of stories coming from this series, I hope to bring out these stories at least once per month, but we are going to have to see depending on what stories you want, folks! So, you have to keep voting and tell me what stories you want to see! The next poll will possibly be up sometime next month after the third story is up, so, be prepare on what you want to see next, everyone! Now, please read and review and no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	3. Story 3: In another 'Digital World'

Welcome to the next 'tale' from the **Sailor Moon Online** story series and now, we are returning back to the 'Aincrad arc' of the story series. As you well know, the Digimon 01/02 'crew' are a vital part of this story series in which Davis Motomiya's sister, Jun Motomiya, was trapped with five of the Odiaba Digidestined in SAO, namely Tai, Matt, TK, Ken, and Yolei. You saw them in cameos in the first story of the story series, **Sailor Moon Online** in which they have had good and very significant roles in the later stories of this story series thereafter. However, the stories of this group's time in SAO haven't been told…until now.

Before I start this latest tale, once again, I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 3: Digital Knights Tales 1: In another 'Digital World'**

Note: This story takes place around and during **Chapter 1** through **Chapter 2** of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **November 6, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Today, we are inside of the Odiaba District of Tokyo where we head to one apartment complex, the apartment of the Kamiya family, in which we find one Hikari 'Kari' Kamiya, around age 14-15, is holding a copy of the box containing the game cartridge for Sword Art Online, the world's first VRMMO, virtual reality mass multiplayer online game, for the NervGear, a second generation Full-Dive virtual reality device and the first commercial Full-Dive virtual reality device, with her brother, Taichi 'Tai' Kamiya, around age 16-17, who is looking on with a smile on his face.

Tai says, "Man! I can't believe the luck that you, Davis, Ken, TK, Matt, and Yolei have!"

Kari says, with a smile, "I know, Tai." Kari says, with a sigh, "It is a shame that I won't be able to go online today."

Tai tells Kari, with a weak smile, "It is what it is, Kari."

Kari tells Tai, with a smile, "Maybe you would like to give a try, Tai."

Tai asks Kari, amazed, "Really?"

Kari responds, with a smile, "Sure!"

Tai says, with a smile, "I call Matt and the others and tell them I'll be joining them for opening day."

Just then a female voice calls out, "Kari, it is time to go!"

Kari shouts out, "Coming mom!"

Kari gives Tai the container that contains that game cartridge for Sword Art Online and Tai tells Kari, "You and Davis don't go pushing yourselves."

Kari tells Tai, annoyed, "Tai! Davis is good with me."

Tai tells Kari, with a plain tone, "How 'good' is what I'm worried about."

Kari says, with a blush, "Tai!"

Tai says, with a smile, "I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" Tai then gets a serious look and he says, "However, I'm worried about you and Davis."

Kari says, nervously, "Well…"

Tai tells Kari, seriously, "Kari…"

Kari says, nervously, "Anyway, I have got to get going, Tai." Kari then rushes out of the room with her Digimon partner, Gatomon, who also in the room with Tai's Digimon partner, Agumon.

Agumon asks, concerned, "Is Kari going to be okay, Tai?"

Tai responds, with a solemn sigh, "I don't know, Agumon…I really don't know…It has been a good long while since that…"

Agumon tells Tai, "Kari is strong, Tai. She has been through a lot."

Tai says, with a nod, "Yeah, I know, buddy. All of us have been through a lot as Digidestined, but we only seen what happens when Digimon die. Humans die in a different way and humans don't turn into data and are 'reborn' as a new Digimon." Tai says, with a sigh, "Kari and Davis are both strong…Maybe we overestimated their strength…especially Davis…I mean, how can't you? Davis is the one that brought Kari and the others back from MaloMyotismon's delusion and inspired the kids that were brought under the influence of the Dark Spore, much like Ken was, out from the darkness. I guess that we thought him as invincible…unbreakable…"

Agumon tells Tai, "I'm sure that they will rebound from this, Tai."

Tai says, with a weak smile, "Yeah, I'm sure, buddy." Tai tells Agumon, "Anyway, you said that you needed to go to the Digital World for a bit?"

Agumon says, with a smile, "Yep!"

Tai says, "Oops! I should have Kari open a Digital Gate! You can only open one with a D-3!"

Just then a familiar male voice says, "Actually, that's not necessary, Tai." Tai looks to the source to see Gennai, as his younger self, in the room.

Tai yelps out in surprise and he shouts out, "Gennai! How did you get here?"

Gennai responds, with a smile, "Seriously, Tai?"

Tai responds, with a sigh, "I should have known…"

Gennai tells Tai, "Anyway, I'll help Agumon to the Digi-World through the Digital Gate that I created."

Tai tells Agumon, "Well, problem solved."

Agumon tells Tai, "I'll catch you later, Tai!"

Tai responds, "Later, buddy!" Soon enough, Agumon leaves with Gennai and Tai watches as they head to the computer in a nearby room and get sucked into it. With them gone, Tai asks, "Geez, how does Gennai keep doing this stuff?" Tai says, looking at the box containing the SAO game cartridge, "Well, I had better inform Matt and the others that I'm coming in for opening day." Tai thinks in his mind, _"Since Davis has the same appointment, what is he going to do with SAO game cartridge? Guess he is going to wait until he gets back tonight and join with Kari. I just hope that they will be okay…"_ Tai then prepares to call the others about him joining them in SAO on the opening day of the retail version of the game.

 _ **November 6, 2022, Sword Art Online, Aincrad Floor 1, Town of Beginnings**_

Now, we are within the virtual world of Sword Art Online and inside of the setting of this virtual world, Aincrad, the floating castle world in the sky, players are just entering this world as it opens its 'doors' to the players in which there is a male player appearing through a teleportation effect of the game.

This male player has short brown hair, light hazel-green eyes, handsome male features, and wearing starter gear with a starter level one-handed curved sword in sheath strapped to his waist.

The male player says, in Tai's voice, "Whoa. This is it. This is…SAO." The male player looks and looks on in amazement in which he says, seeing his avatar's reflection in the mirror, "Whoa! Is this…me? Incredible!" The male player looks at his reflection and he says, with a smirk, "Looking good."

Just then a familiar male voice says, "Keep up that face and it is going to stick." The male player yelps and he turns to see four other players in front of him.

The first of the players is male player has short blond hair, blue eyes, handsome male facial features of an American Hollywood movie star, and wearing starter gear with a basic long-arm/spear type weapon in his hands.

The second of the players is another male player with well-combed blond hair, blue eyes, handsome male facial features, and wearing starter gear with a basic longsword in a sheath strapped to a belt across his waist.

The third of the players is yet another male player with handsome blue-black shoulder length hair that's well-combined, brown eyes, handsome male facial features, and wearing starter gear with his own basic one-handed sword in a sheath that's strapped to his waist by a belt.

And finally, the fourth player is a female player with long flowing violet hair, lovely ruby red eyes, deep and gorgeous red-pink lips, and wearing female start gear that shows the shapes and curves of a female super-model body shape as well as a basic rapier sword, an Iron Rapier, in a sheath that's attached to a belt across her waist.

The male player says, nervously, "Um…"

The short blond hair male with a spear-like weapon says, in a familiar male voice, "Come on, Tai, don't tell me that you don't recognize us."

The male player asks, shocked, "Matt?!"

The blond male with the spear responds, with a grin, "In the flesh…so to speak."

The blond male with the sword says, in another familiar voice, "Come on, bro."

The male player asks, amazed, "TK?"

The blond male with the sword says, "Yep, but in here, I'm Takeru." The blond male with the sword then points to the other blond and he says, "And Matt is Yamato here."

The female player says, "I'm Miyako and my darling Ken-kun is Sam."

The male player asks, "Sam? As in…?"

The final male player, the one with blue-black hair, responds, with a nod, "Yeah. It seems like a simple way to honor him…"

The blond male player with the sword, Takeru 'TK' Takashi in his SAO avatar of Takeru, responds, with a smile, "I think that he would be honored Ken."

The blue-black haired male player, revealed to be Ken Ichijouji in his SAO avatar of Sam, named after Ken's deceased older brother, Sam Ichijouji, tells Takeru, "Thanks."

The female player, revealed to be Yolei Inoue in her SAO avatar of Miyako, asks the male player, Tai Kamiya's SAO avatar, "What's the name of your avatar?"

Our Digidestined of Courage responds, "Taichi."

The blond haired male player with the spear, Matt Ishida's SAO avatar of Yamato, responds, "Well, nice to meet you, Taichi."

And then a female voice shouts out, "And nice to meet you too, pretty boy." The group then looks over to see another female player coming over to them.

This female player has long and luscious fiery red hair, lovely green eyes with luscious eyelashes, deep and lovely ruby red lips, and wearing female starter gear showing a gorgeous female super-model frame with a starter level mace held on a belt on her waist.

Sam asks, surprised, "Who are you?"

The female player responds, "The name is Juniper."

Taichi then says, shocked upon recognizing the voice of the player, "Wait! I know that voice! That's Jun!"

The others gasp in shock and the female player asks, with a pout, "Ah, man! You ruined the surprise!"

Takeru asks, "What are you doing here Jun?"

Taichi says, plainly, "She must be using Davis' game cartridge in her NervGear."

Miyako asks, "She has her own NervGear?"

The female player, revealed to be Davis Motomiya's sister, Jun Motomiya, in her SAO avatar of Junpier, responds, annoyed, "Hey! Just because I don't look like it doesn't mean that I'm not a hard-core gamer myself!" Junpier then says, proudly, "I've been beating the squirt at quite a few games and that always pisses him off!"

Taichi says, with a sigh, "Got to admit that's true." Taichi says, "But I thought that you preferred that VR idol game that they came out that one time…"

Junpier says, with an annoyed blush, "And what inspiring teen idol wouldn't? That's a dream come true for us."

Miyako says, nervously, "Got to admit that she has a point."

Junpier says, with a confident smile, "Anyway, I've also played quite a few MMO games myself and I've got the friends to prove it. I mean, come on, that's part of the point of MMO games!" Junpier says, taking out her starter mace, "And what person that's played MMO games would want to miss this? This is a chance of a lifetime!"

Sam says, with a nod, "Jun…I mean Junpier has got another good point."

Takeru asks, "How did you get the game?"

Junpier says, with a smile, "Simple. I found out where my squirt of a brother hid it of course."

Taichi says, with a sigh, "Of course!"

Junpier says, with a grin, "Hey, the squirt of a brother is going to get back and piss me off gloating about the time he had with your sister in here! Well, I can't wait to piss him off when I get to experience the first day here! And I'm going to milk it for all its worth!"

Yamato says, with a sigh, "You would."

Junpier says, "Anyway, let's get started." Junpier tells Yamato, "Catch you later, cutie pie." Junpier then runs off into the distance and swinging her mace around.

Yamato says, with a solemn sigh, "I'm glad that it is just one day."

Takeru says, with a smile, "Anyway, let's take Jun…Juniper's advice and get started. Tai…Taichi is only going to be here for the day."

Taichi says, with an annoyed smile, "Thanks for reminding me."

Takeru says, with a nervous smile, "Sorry." The group then forms a party of five and head out into the field in which they don't notice a young woman with short blond hair, brown eyes, wearing a simple red dress with the skirt going to just above her kneecaps, pink sleeves that cover from her wrists almost to the tops of her arms, simple brown boots, and a brown belt across her waist containing a small sword, the starter one-handed sword for the game, running in another direction to get out into the fields herself.

 _ **November 6, 2022, Sword Art Online, Aincrad Floor 1**_

Within the fields of the first floor of Aincrad, Taichi, Takeru, Yamato, Sam, and Miyako are battling another boar and Taichi uses a Curved Sword Skill to defeat it.

Miyako says, excitedly, "Way to go, Tai!"

Sam tells Taichi, with a smile, "Great job, Taichi."

Taichi says, "Thanks, Ken…I mean Sam."

Takeru says, "Man! This is really something!"

Sam says, with a nod, "I agree, Takeru. And it isn't just the VR, it is the way that game is made. Forgoing magic, like in most MMO games, and having these sword skills forces us into close combat situations."

Miyako says, nodding her head, "No joke! This takes a lot of tactics to figure out since you mainly can't attack from long range and the few ranged weapons have 'limited ammo'."

Taichi says, with a grin, "You don't see me complaining."

Takeru says, with a smirk, "Not surprising, Taichi."

Just then a familiar female voice yells out, "Hey, guys!"

Yamato says, with a sigh, "Oh, boy." Everyone looks to the source of the voice to see Junpier, with a really worried look on her face, running up to all of them.

Sam says, "She seems worried."

Takeru says, with a smile, "I'm sure that it is nothing." Taichi, Yamato, and Miyako aren't so sure and they get a 'bad feeling'.

Junpier stops in front of them and she says, "This is an emergency!"

Yamato asks, curiously, "What's wrong?"

Junpier says, "My log out button…It's gone!"

There are gasps of shock and Miyako asks, stunned, "What?"

Taichi asks, "Is this some kind of joke?"

Junpier yells out, annoyed, "Why would I be joking about something like this?" Junpier activates her menu, goes through it, and sets it to visible mode to show the others in which she says, pointing to where the log out button should be, "There! Do you see that? That's where it is supposed to be! That's where it usually is!"

The others look at each other and Sam asks, "Did you mean make sure that you looked through the whole thing?"

Junpier responds, "Yes, I did! Twice!"

Miyako says, a bit nervously, "Okay…That's a concern."

Takeru asks, curiously, "Could it be a bug?"

Yamato says, "Everyone, check your menus."

Takeru asks Yamato, "Bro?"

Yamato says, with a plain tone, "Just do it." The others look through their menus and they are shocked to find that they don't have log out buttons either!

Miyako asks, stunned, "Where is my log out button?"

Junpier asks, her eyes wide, "You too?!" Miyako gives a weak nod of her head and Junpier says, shaking her head, "I don't like this…"

Takeru says, trying to sound reassuring, "Maybe it is some kind of bug."

Juniper yells out, "If it was just me, yes! But if you don't have log out buttons, then this is more than a mere 'bug'!"

Sam says, concerned, "She's right. If it was just her, it would be most likely a bug through I'm not sure with someone like Kayaba. I read all about him and someone like him…He isn't the type to let 'bugs' through like that."

Junpier says, her avatar starting to shake with nervousness, "I'm really not liking this."

Yamato tells Junpier, "Easy. There has got to be an explanation for this."

Takeru says, with a nod, "Yeah, Jun. Listen to my bro. I'm going call the GM and see what's up." But just then they heard bells coming from the Starting City AKA Town of Beginnings, but before they could say or do anything, all of them vanish through the bright light of a teleportation effect.

 _ **November 6, 2022, Sword Art Online, Aincrad Floor 1, Town of Beginnings**_

In the center of the Town of Beginnings, all of the players that are inside Sword Art Online are being teleported into the main square of the Town of Beginnings, minus a certain blond female player, who was teleported into nearby building and she is 'fighting' to get out to the porch of said building, but on the meanwhile, we are focused on Junpier and our five Digidestined as they appear with the masses along with a certain black haired male former beta tester and a bandana wearing 'retail player'.

Junpier asks, confused, "What the heck?"

Taichi asks, confused, "What just happened?"

Sam says, "We were teleported back into town, but there shouldn't be any teleportation effects until we start clearing the upper floors and only within the towns not in the fields!"

Miyako asks, confused, "What's happening?"

Sam responds, "I wish I knew." Just then the 'sky' of this virtual world become filled with panels that either say 'Warning' or 'System Announcement' and what looks like a red 'blob' coming out of the redden virtual sky.

Yamato says, "Even for a virtual world, this isn't typical."

Taichi says, with a nod, "No kidding." As a certain blond female player emerges onto the balcony of a nearby building, the 'blob' turns into massive red robe figure without a face in the hood of the robe.

Miyako asks, nervously, "Who or what is that?"

Takeru asks, "Could it be a GM?"

Just then the massive avatar says, in a male voice, "Attention players! I, welcome you, to my world!"

Junpier asks, confused, "His world?"

Sam asks, realizing something, "Wait! Could it be…?"

The massive avatar says, "My name is Akihiko Kayaba and as of this moment, I am in control of this world."

Junpier asks, "Akihiko Kayaba? The creator of the NervGear?"

Sam says, with a nod, "And the creator of Sword Art Online."

The massive avatar then says, his plain and emotionless tone not changing in the least, "I'm sure that most of you have noticed something missing from your main menus: The Logout button." The massive avatar creates a player menu in front of him that everyone in the 'audience' can see and he says, "Let me assure you, this is not a defect in the game. I repeat: This is not a defect. This is how Sword Art Online was designed to be."

There are a lot of gasps around our Digidestined and Davis' sister and Miyako asks, shocked, "What?"

Taichi says, shocked, "He has got to be kidding!"

Takeru says, narrowing his eyes, "I don't think so, Tai."

The massive avatar, revealed to be Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of Sword Art Online and the Full-Dive VR device being used to enter the game, the NervGear, says, "You cannot log yourselves and no one from the outside will be able to remove the NervGear from your head. If anyone attempts to, your NervGear will discharge a microwave signal into your brain, destroying it, and ending your life."

There are more gasps and Junpier says, shocked, "No way! No way!"

Miyako adds in, "Is this some kind of joke? Because this isn't funny!"

Sam says, seriously, "I don't think that he is joking around."

The massive avatar then says, "Despite my warning, the friends and family of some players attempted to remove the NervGear and as a result, the game has two hundred and thirteen less players. They have been deleted from both Aincard and the real world." There are looks of pure horror from the players and the massive avatar says, creating dozens of holographic images of news reports from television, internet, and print showing reports about what's unfolding in the 'real world', "As you can see, there is already round the clock news coverage including the deaths. At this point, the likely hood of a NervGear being removed is minimum at best. I hope this brings you a little comfort as you complete the game. It is important to remember the following: There is no longer any way to revive anyone in the game. If your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be deleted… and your NervGear will simultaneously destroy your brain."

Yamato says, horrified, "This…This is no joke. Those are real news reports!"

Takeru says, horrified and with a serious tone, "I know! I recognize dad's television network anyway."

Junpier says, her tone showing signs of panic, "Come on! You have got to be kidding me? This can't be happening!"

The massive avatar then says, "There is only one way to escape now. You must clear the game." The massive avatar then displays a hologram of the floating castle of Aincard and it says, "Right now, you are gathered on floor one, the lowest level of Aincard. If you get through the dungeon and defeat the boss, you will be allowed to advance to the next floor. Defeat the boss at one hundredth floor and you clear the game!"

From nearby, a certain bandana wearing male player shouts out, "Even the beta testers never made it that high!"

The massive avatar then says, "And last, but not least. I have placed in the item storage of every player. Have a look." One by one, the players go through their menus and materialize a small mirror. After a few seconds of looking at it, the players gasp in shock as they glow including Junpier and our Digidestined. When the light fades away, Junpier and our Digidestined look to see that look like they do in real life as Jun, Tai, Matt, TK, Ken, and Yolei, but they are wearing the same clothing and wielding the same weapon as their avatars from earlier.

Takeru asks, shocked, "Bro?"

Miyako asks, confused, "What the?"

Taichi says, looking at the mirror, "We look exactly as we do in real life!"

Junpier asks, "But how is that possible?"

Sam says, "There is a high density scanning device in the NervGear, so, that's how it can get our facial data."

Miyako says, "You're right, but how could it know our body shapes and height down to the last detail? And by the way, that's creepy!"

Takeru says, realizing something, "The calibration test when you first put on the NervGear."

The others look at Takeru and Sam says, "You're right. That's how it got our physical data."

Junpier asks, really nervous in her tone, "But why?"

Taichi says, "He made us look like who we are in real life to make us accept that this is our new reality."

Everyone looks at Taichi and Yamato says, with a nod, "Yeah, I'm getting that feeling."

Miyako asks, nervously, "W-Why? Why is this happening?"

Takeru says, looking up at the massive avatar that's Kayaba, "I think that he is going to tell us."

As Junpier and the Digidestined, along with the lot of other players look up at the massive avatar, he says, ""Right now, you must be thinking: Why? Why would Akihiko Kayaba, developer of Sword Art Online and the NervGear do this? An act of terrorism? An elaborate kidnapping to exact ransom money? I can assure you that this is nothing of the sort. The answer is simple: I created Sword Art Online was control of a fate of a world of my design."

Taichi thinks in his mind, _"Oh, crap. We are facing a dude with a god complex."_

The massive avatar then says, "As you can see, I have achieved my goal. This concludes the tutorial phase of Sword Art Online. I wish you the best of luck dear players." Soon after, the massive avatar turns into virtual smoke and fades into the virtual sky which returns to what it was before this 'event' and all of the players in the main plaza stay their silent in disbelief, but quite a few players know that what Kayaba just said is the truth including a certain blond female player, who is a familiar young blond haired and blue eyed young lady with her blond hair in two long pigtails with the buns of her pigtails shaped like meatballs, who collapses to her knees and tears flow from her eyes. At that exact moment, the crowd comes out of their stupor and screams and yells of horror, fear, anger, and disbelief come from the crowd as they shout out into the empty skies. Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, and Sam look at each other and Sam immediately looks at Miyako, who has a look of pure panic in her eyes.

Sam tells her, "We need to go!" Miyako looks at Sam and he says, "I need you to remain focused! We need to get out of here now!"

On the meanwhile, Yamato is looking at Junpier, who has pure panic and horror in her eyes, and he yells out, "You need to look at me! Look at me, Jun!" Junpier looks at Yamato and he says, "You need to follow us now! Do it!" Junpier is surprised, but she nods her head in which the group of half-a-dozen immediately runs out of the plaza while a certain black haired former beta tester drags a certain bandana wearing player into another alley. Junpier, Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, Sam, and Miyako are assembled in another alleyway and discuss what just happened.

Junpier asks, pure fear and panic in her voice, "Come on! This can't be happening! It can't! A VR device can't kill you, right? Right?"

Sam says, "Unfortunately, it is true. The NervGear uses microwaves for the Full-Dive process and there are safeties to prevent any damage, but take away the safeties and the NervGear can fry your brain. Cutting the power won't work either. It has an internal battery."

Taichi says, "Actually, it is the reason that thing is so heavy. One-third of it is battery."

Miyako says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Juniper says, fearfully, "No…No…No…!"

Yamato tells Junpier, "Jun, you need to calm down!"

Junpier shouts out, her voice filled with pure panic, "Calm down?! Calm down?! Don't you just what happened? The guy who created all of us has just shown us that he is a complete madman and trapped us in something that's supposed to be a game! A game! And now, his 'game' has killed over two hundred people already! And if we die in here, we die in real life! This can't be happening!"

Taichi says, seriously, "Well, it is happening, Jun. And until we can figure out a way out of here or someone manages to find a way to break us out, we need to survive in here."

Junpier shouts out, her voice filled with fear, horror, and panic, "Are you crazy?! This world is full of monsters and other surprises here and in games, you can't get through a game without losing at least just one life! But we have just one life in here! ONE LIFE! We lose it and we are dead…FOR GOOD! Oh, Kami! We…We're going to die!"

Yamato gently forces her to face him and he tells Junpier, making her look him in the eyes, "We're NOT going to die, Jun! We've fought in a 'digital world' with monsters and we managed to survive as well as save two worlds!"

Miyako says, nervously, "But we had our Digimon partners with us!"

Takeru thinks in his mind, nervously, _"Not helping my bro, Yolei."_

Yamato says, "While that's true, but our Digimon partners needed us as much as we needed them! We worked together to save both worlds and that's what we will do to survive this world!" Yamato tells Junpier, looking her in the eyes, "Do you hear me, Jun?! We aren't going to die! We are going to survive! We are going to survive and get home no matter how long it takes! Do you understand me?!" Junpier then nods her head and start then starts to cry on Yamato's virtual chest in which he allows it.

Sam asks Miyako, "Are you okay, Miyako?"

Miyako responds, "No, I'm far from okay. And do you have to call me that?"

Sam tells Miyako, "This may be another 'digital world', but this world has just become like the Digi-World Yolei. For now, you are Miyako. And I'm Sam."

Miyako says, with a nod, "Right." Miyako's arm is shivering, but Sam gently holds onto her arm.

Sam says, with a smile, "Davis and the others are with us. They are with us in spirit. We can't let them down."

Miyako says, with a smile, "Yeah."

Takeru tells Taichi, "What's the plan?"

Taichi then says, looking back in the direction of the plaza, "For now, let's go to an inn and get some rest. We've just had a big shock." Taichi says, looking at the crying Junpier, "Some more than the rest of us. Then as soon as we can, we need to start exploring and grinding."

Sam says, "In an MMO, resources are going to be limited and the area outside of the Town of Beginnings is going to be picked clean soon. In order to avoid being left out, we are going to need to move on."

Yamato says, still gently hugging the fearful Junpier, "But we don't know anything about the terrain and monsters in that terrain, so, we need to get stronger in order to move on."

Takeru says, "The best people that would know their way around would be the former beta testers, but they are probably long gone by now."

Miyako asks Takeru, "Why would you say that?"

Taichi says in reply, "Basic human instinct. Can't say that I really blame them." The others, minus Junpier, nod their heads in agreement and Taichi says, looking at Junpier, "Come on. Let's find an inn out of the way to rest for a while and then start to level up and explore." The others, including Junpier, nod their heads in agreement and they head off while on the meanwhile, the black haired male former beta tester runs out into the field to start his battle for survival while the blond haired female player on the balcony just remains in place overlooking the crowd and plaza in a condition of pure shock.

 _ **November 7, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Back in the 'real world', we are within a hospital in the Odiaba District where we find the motionless form of Tai Kamiya with the NervGear attached to his bed lying down in a hospital bed and covered up like he is in a coma with his younger sister, Kari, crying at his bedside.

Kari says, pure sorrow in her voice, "Why? Why you Tai? Why did it have to be you Tai? This can't be happening!" Kari then starts to cry in which she goes onto her mother's, Yuuko Kamiya's, chest, who also has tears in her eyes in which Sora Takenouchi, Joe Kido, Biyomon, Gomamon, Agumon, and Gatomon are here with them.

Sora says, solemnly, "Tai…"

Agumon says, "There has got to be something we can do!"

Gatomon responds, "There is nothing that we can do. One attempt to tamper with that and his brains are toast…burnt toast!"

Joe asks, confused, "Why would he do this?"

Gatomon asks, "Does it really matter?" Gatomon says, "Our main focus is trying to find how to get Tai and the others out of there!"

Biyomon says, with a nod, "Yes, I guess you're right."

Joe asks, curiously, "But how?"

Just then a familiar male voice says, "That's a good question, Joe." The Digidestined and Digimon look to see Izzy Izumi and Tentomon walking into the room.

Joe asks, "How are the others?"

Tentomon asks, "Do you have to ask?"

Joe says, nervously, "Right."

Izzy says, "Matt's and TK's parents are in a panic and their dad is about to go on a rampage in which he is using his contacts to try to find where Kayaba is hiding."

Gatomon says, "Something tells me that he won't find him so easily."

Izzy says, with a nod, "I have to agree with Gatomon. If Kayaba did this, I doubt that he would let himself be caught so easily. Rumor has it that not even his family members know where he is right now and they also never suspected a thing."

Sora asks, "And everyone else?"

Tentomon says, "Also in a bad way."

Izzy says, "Especially Davis."

Sora asks, "Davis?"

Izzy says, "He might not be showing it, but he is badly 'shaken up'."

Joe says, with a solemn sigh, "And he has far from recovered from 'that incident'." Joe says, shaking his head, "The instant that he thinks that someone has a gun in their hands, he…"

Joe, Izzy, and Sora look at Kari and Sora says, solemnly, "I never thought that could have happened."

Joe tells Sora, "None of us expected it and none of us would have expected what happened with Davis. We thought of him of being so strong…invincible…"

Izzy says, with a sigh, "That was our mistake…And it cost Davis a good chunk."

Sora says, concerned, "I thought that he and Kari were getting better."

Joe says, with a sigh, "You know how cases like this can be."

Izzy says, looking at Kari, "I'm worried what this will do to them."

Sora says, with a nod, "Same here."

Joe tells Sora, "We can only hope, Sora." The Digidestined and Digimon look at crying Kari and then they look at the motionless Tai.

Sora thinks in her mind, _"Tai, don't you dare die on us! Kari will just die herself, literally, if you do. Come home to us. You and the others come home to us."_

 _ **November 12, 2022, Sword Art Online, Aincrad Floor 1**_

Returning to the virtual realm of SAO, Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, Miyako, Juniper, and Sam are inside the village of Horunka in which Sam is swing his brand new Anneal Blade.

Takeru asks Sam, "How does it feel?'

Sam says, putting his new sword in its sheath, "It feels great."

Miyako says, with a smile, "I'm happy for you, Sam."

Taichi asks Miyako, "How is that new Wind Fleuret?"

Miyako says, with a smile, "Good."

Sam says, "I think that we have enough to bring it up a few levels."

Takeru says, "At best, the NPC blacksmiths are going to get it to plus four without too much problem."

Sam says, with a nod, "After that, who knows? We had better see how many NPC blacksmiths there are and see about their success stories."

Yamato asks Junpier, "Are you going to be okay?"

Junpier responds, plainly, "To be honest…No." Junpier says, looking at Yamato and with a weak kind smile, "However, I'm good enough not to do something stupid that will get me killed. Thank you."

Taichi says, with a smile, "I doubt that Davis would forgive us if we let anything happen to you."

Junpier asks, with a weak smile, "Yeah…How is the squirt doing now?"

Yamato says, with a plain tone, "As I said before, we're going to get home."

Junpier responds, with a solemn sigh, "Yeah, I know. With you guys, all of you and your Digimon friends, including Veemon, saved the world more times than I can count. But you guys are without your powerful friends and this isn't your 'Digi-World'."

Taichi says, plainly, "It doesn't matter. Agumon and our partners needed us in more ways than one as much as we needed them. We worked together as one to survive and all of our friends and family are with us and we're going to get home alive."

Miyako says, "And our experience as Digidestined taught us that just because this is a 'digital world' doesn't mean that it is real. Even 'digital information' can be lethal and destructive."

Takeru says, with a nod, "No kidding."

Junpier says, "Well, I don't have the same experience as you."

Taichi says, with a smile, "Well, this is a new experience for us too. Remember, while we have experience with a 'digital world', it isn't this one."

Takeru says, with a smile, "That's encouraging."

Junpier asks, amazed, "How can you be so calm?"

Miyako says, with a smile, "Actually, we're not calm…At least not all of us. Right now, I'm pretty much in a panic." Miyako says, with a smile, "But I've got my friends and my Sam-kun with me."

Miyako wraps her arms around Sam's left arm and he says, nervously with a blush, "Geez."

Takeru says, with a smile, "Get a room."

Taichi says, "Anyway, we have a long way to go."

Yamato says, nodding his head, "A real long way to go." Every one of them look up towards the 'pillar' that houses the 'main dungeon' for this floor where the floor boss for the first floor of SAO.

 _ **December 4, 2022, Aincrad First Floor, Tolbana**_

Today, we are at Tolbana, the town on the first floor of Aincrad that's closest to the floor labyrinth, the 'main dungeon' of the floor, that contains the way to the next floor and the floor boss blocking the way where we find Sam, Miyako, Yamato, Taichi, and Junpier, with some slight upgrades in armor and weapons, assembled together.

Taichi tells Sam, "Man! It was lucky that you found someone that upgraded your Anneal Blade to plus five."

Sam says, with a nod, "I know. Personally, I think that it was a one in a million fluke. I doubt other players will have the same luck."

Miyako says, looking around, "We finally made it here."

Taichi says, with a nod, "I know, Miyako."

Junpier says, "Wish we found a beta tester that could have helped us."

Miyako tells Junpier, "Easy, girl. You know how many of the other players feel these days."

Junpier retorts, "Well, I think that it is stupid. And people call me 'flaky'. Geez! Kayaba used the beta testers to perfect this 'death game'. They were his 'lab rats' to perfect his trap for all of us. I mean, he had two months since the beta ended to get it ready."

Sam says, with a nod, "That might be so. However, something tells me that he had this planned for a long time…a long time."

Yamato says, "Right now, HE is the last person that I want on my mind."

Taichi says, with a snarl, "Yeah. Two thousand people are dead because of that ass."

The others nod their heads and just then Takeru's voice booms, "Everyone!" The others look to see Takeru rushing up to them.

Yamato says, "Hey, bro."

Takeru tells them, "Hey! I just heard! They did it! They actually did it!"

Miyako asks, "What do you mean?"

Takeru responds, "A raid party of the top players have defeated the first floor boss! They did it!"

There are gasps and Taichi asks Takeru, "Are you sure?"

Takeru says, with a nod, "Yep! It's been confirmed!"

Miyako yells out, excitedly, "All right!"

Soon enough, they heard other players in town that heard the news start to cheer and Sam says, "Well, it might be too soon to celebrate. We've only made it to the second floor."

Miyako tells Sam, with a warm smile, "Don't be such a 'buzz kill', Sam-kun. We actually made it to the next floor."

Junpier thinks in her mind, with a warm smile, _"Maybe we can do it! No, I can't think that! We can do it! We will beat this stupid game and we will get back home! We'll survive and get home!"_

Yamato tells Junpier, "Told you."

Junpier says, with a warm smile, "Yes, you did."

Taichi says, "While Sam is right in that we have a long way to go, there is a good step forward."

Takeru says, with a solemn sigh, "Yeah, but I have a bit of bad news." Everyone focuses on Takeru and he says, solemnly, "The leader of the raid group died during the fight. I don't have the details, but the leader of the group, Diabel, was killed leading the group against the floor boss."

There are gasps and Yamato says, "That's not good."

Junpier asks, "What do you mean?"

Yamato says, "If that Diabel guy was the leader, he must have leadership and charisma to bring the players together to fight the floor boss especially the time that it took to find him and all of the deaths."

Sam says, "If the leader died, then the moral of the top tier players assaulting the floors to get to the top and out of here will take a major hit."

Takeru says, with a nod, "No joke. We need to join them."

Junpier asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Yamato tells Taichi, "Takeru is right, Taichi. We need to join the front runners and help them. They need leaders like you."

Taichi asks, "Huh? Hold on! What?"

Yamato tells Taichi, "This isn't the time! You were the leader of our group of Digidestined during our first adventures in the Digi-World! You are a leader!"

Takeru tells Taichi, "My bro is right. They need leaders to show them the way and you are a 'leader type'. You choose Davis because he had the same leadership qualities as you and he showed it in spades, but you chose him as the next leader and helped him down his path to be a good leader for the team by seeing those qualities."

Junpier asks, concerned, "Hold on! Why us? Why you?"

Yamato tells Junpier, "If us, then who?" Junpier gives a look of surprise and Yamato says, "The majority of people haven't been in a life or death situation like we have when we were Digidestined, Junpier, just like you. This is a horrible situation and people have already died because of the chaos and confusion with fear causing them to make mistakes that got them killed. They need help to inspire them and help lead the way or we will never get out of here."

Sam says, with a nod, "Yamato's right, Junpier. Right now, our bodies are most likely in hospitals on life-support and we can't stay that way forever. If we get stuck, we'll just waste way until our bodies collapse."

Miyako says, sarcastically, "That's a pleasant thought." Sam gives a nervous look and Miyako tells Junpier, "But they have a point. If not us, then who? I'm scared right out of my wits! I was just as scared when I first became a Digidestined, but unlike that day, I'm not just going to sit and wail about it. I want to get back to my family…and our friends including that brother of yours. I'm going to fight! This stupid world isn't going to take me without a fight and I will get home to the people I love!" Junpier gives a look of surprise and thinks about her family especially her brother, Davis Motomiya.

Yamato tells Juniper, "We can understand if you are scared and want to play it safe…"

Junpier shakes her head and she responds, "No, Yamato. You and your friends are right." She says, with a determined look in her eyes, "If my squirt of a brother can survive being a Digidestined, then I can survive this stupid 'death game'." Junpier says, with a determined smile, "Plus, I can show the squirt that I'm just as tough as he is!"

The others smile at Junpier and Taichi says, "Let's head back to the Town of Beginnings and hopefully, by tomorrow, we'll be in the next floor too." Everyone else nods their heads and they start to head off to make their preparations to head back to the Town of Beginnings in order to use the teleport gate to head to the recently opened second floor of Aincrad.

Junpier tells Yamato, "Thank you."

Yamato asks, curiously, "For what?"

Junpier responds, "For inspiring me to become stronger."

Yamato says, with a smile, "No problem."

 _ **December 5, 2022, Aincrad Second Floor, Urbus**_

On Aincrad's second floor, we are in the main town of said floor, Urbus, in which we find Taichi, Yamato, Sam, Miyako, and Junpier are looking around while Takeru has gone off to get information.

Junpier says, "Wow. This is amazing."

Miyako says, nodding her head in agreement, "I'll say."

Taichi says, "It just cost too many lives to get here."

Yamato says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Just then Takeru's voice booms, "Hey!" The others look to see Takeru running over to them.

Yamato asks, "What's the word?"

Takeru tells them, "You aren't going to believe what I just heard."

Miyako asks, "What's the story?"

Takeru says, "You aren't going to believe this, but I heard from this player that among the players that fought the boss monster, one of them was Kayaba's niece!"

There are gasps and Taichi asks, stunned, "Say what?"

Junpier says, shocked, "No way!"

Yamato asks, "Kayaba's niece?!"

Takeru says, "Told you."

Taichi asks Takeru, "Did you get the whole story?"

Takeru says, with a nod, "Yeah. I got from a member of the raiding party. His name is Agil." Takeru then explains what Agil had just told him about the boss raid against the first floor boss, a monster known as Illfang the Kobold Lord, and what happened.

When Takeru is done, Taichi says, angrily, "Monster! Archfiend!"

Miyako says, shocked, "This...That's horrible! It's bad enough that he trapped us here, but he trapped a member of his own family?! That…That…sicko!"

Takeru says, "Yeah, I know. I was shocked when I heard it. However, it is the truth. He says that the emotions that she showed were far from fake."

Junpier says, solemnly, "Poor girl."

Sam says, "I heard that there are rumors of a player in a white cloak that has been saving people."

Takeru says, with a nod, "Yeah, I heard too. Agil believes…No, he KNOWS that Kayaba's niece and 'that player' are one and the same."

Yamato says, "Most likely, she feels responsible for what her uncle has done and she is doing everything that she can to save lives."

Miyako says, "What? That's insane! She never knew what her uncle was planning!"

Takeru says, "True, but it sounds like she is the really caring type and she took it on herself to find Kayaba and make him stop."

Taichi says, with a solemn sigh, "Good luck. Knowing these type of sickos, he might be like Piedmon and waiting at the 'final level'. Kayaba is most likely at the final level at the top of Aincrad."

Yamato says, with a nod, "Good point."

Sam says, "And to be honest, I think she knows that fact too."

Takeru says, nodding his head, "And that's why she is giving her all to protect everyone."

Junpier thinks in her mind, amazed, _"She's fighting with all she's got to protect everyone."_

Miyako asks, "What do you think about this 'Kirito' guy?"

Takeru responds, "Based on what Agil told me, he is an upstanding kind of guy. Agil said that he knew that this Kirito player is taking the heat off of her and the former beta testers by focusing the hate of everyone else on him."

Junpier says, "Sounds like he is trying to save his fellow beta testers."

Sam says, "It is more than that." Junpier looks at Sam and he says, "He wants to keep the players united together for one goal: Getting the heck out of here. There are still around eight thousand players left and the few of us that are venturing through the game are going to get stuck eventually with the numbers that we have. Like it or not, we're going to need more people joining us and helping in our quest for freedom for all of us despite the risks."

Miyako asks, "So, he took the blame so that there wouldn't be a 'civil war' between the players?"

Sam says, with a nod, "Yeah, it is what it seems like to me."

Takeru says, with a nod, "I'm getting the same feeling based on what Agil told me. That big mouth anti-tester jerk, Kibaou, was about to start a civil war between the beta testers and the non-beta testers until this Kirito player came in to take the blame for them and turn the hatred against them as well as Kayaba's niece since he most likely felt that she deserved nothing for it."

Sam says, "Especially she is risking her life despite her being a non-beta tester like us."

Miyako asks Sam, "What makes you think that she wasn't a beta tester?"

Takeru responds, "Remember what I said Agil told me? She was fighting the boss alone and she didn't know it was the boss in which she had a feeling that it was some kind of boss monster in which she felt that she couldn't escape from the boss monster like in most games."

Yamato says, "She sounds like she is an expert gamer, but a rookie to this game."

Sam says, "Yeah."

Junpier asks, amazed, "And she is out there? Risking her life?"

Taichi asks, "Can we do any less?" When everyone else looks at Taichi, he says, "That girl had high hopes for this place. It was supposed to be a dream come true for her and everyone to enjoy. She loved that man as a second father and what does that ass do? He traps her along with us in this prison and leaves her along with us to rot! And now, she is risking everything to save and protect us despite doing nothing wrong to us! We can't just do nothing less!"

Sam says, with a nod, "I agree. We have to join in and help free all players no matter who they are."

Takeru says, nodding his head, "That's right. It doesn't matter if they are beta testers or not. All of us are victims of Kayaba's madness which should be apparent since Kayaba trapped his own niece in here."

Miyako says, nodding her head, "No kidding."

Junpier thinks in her mind, _"If someone like her can get up and fight on, then how can I do anything less?"_ Junpier then says, "Let's see if we can find any good deals on items and weapons." The others look at Junpier and she says, with a confident smile, "Hey, I already said that I'm not going to sit on my butt and wait for someone to get me out of here. I may not seem like it, but I'm a fighter too."

Takeru says, with a smirk, "That wouldn't surprise me in the least."

Yamato says, with a grin, "No kidding."

Taichi tells Takeru, "Let's go over what you discovered as we get to work." Takeru nods his head as the group of half-a-dozen players to find new items and weapons for improving themselves as well as preparing for the rigors of joining the top players in the conquest of this virtual floating castle. As they continued on, they pass by a female player who is wearing a dark red leather tunic with a lightweight copper breastplate, leather pants, boots up to her knees, and she has on a hooded cape that covers her hair and hides much of her head/face in which attached to her waist is a sheath for a Wind Fleuret, the same weapon that Miyako is currently using. The hooded female player and the group of half-a-dozen pass by each other not knowing of the connections that will bind them in the future…

 **The End…For Now**

Well, this is the first tale of Jun and the five Digidestined of their time in SAO and you have to admit that it is an interesting beginning, huh? Yes, I know. This is just the first month of SAO and they formed a guild called the Digital Knights in this story series, but that's a 'tale' for another time, everyone. Tell me what you think about it and please read and review, but no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	4. Story 4: Art of Bull and Fraud

Welcome back, everyone! In this latest tale, we are still in the 'Aincrad era', but this time, we switch from our Digidestined back to our Moon Princess, Black Swordsman, and 'fast female fencer' of SAO during the early days of this 'arc'. This is the first one-shot based on the Progressive Novels and I made a few 'flashbacks' to this time period in this one-shot in previous fanfiction stories. I think that fans of my **Sailor Moon Online** stories will recognize what I mean, everyone! Before I start this latest tale, once again, I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 4: Progressive 1: Art of Bull and Fraud**

Note: This story takes place between **Chapter 2** and **Chapter 3** of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **December 4, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two**_

Today, we are in the virtual world of Sword Art Online, SAO for short, which was once the first virtual massive multi-player online game or VRMMO, has been transformed into a deadly virtual prison for those who now reside in this virtual world and trapped within in it as well as virtual avatars that looks a lot like their real-life bodies. If they die in this game, the avatar will be deleted and nearly simultaneously, the device that's keeping them trapped within this virtual world, the NervGear, will fry their brain and kill them instantly. Basically, if you die in the game, you die in real life. And even since this death game has started nearly a month ago, around two thousand people are already dead, which means one-fifth of the 'player population' of SAO, ten thousand of them originally, are gone. Hope was getting low due to this game since the creator of the game and the NervGear itself, Akihiko Kayaba, who was the one that entrapped the players in the death game, said that in order to leave the game, you have to beat the final boss at the final level of the castle world that SAO.

The castle world, the settling for SAO, is known as Aincrad, a massive 100 floor castle where it is largest at the first floor and smallest at the final floor, Floor 100, which contains the Ruby Palace, the setting for the final battle with the final boss of the game. However, in the first month of the game, they couldn't find the boss for the first floor of Aincrad and one-fifth of the ten thousand players are already dead which is the reason for the low morale. However, the top players of the game managed to find the floor boss and at the cost of the life of the leader of this raid group, they had finally managed to defeat the main boss of the first floor of Aincrad: Illfang the Kobold Lord. In that group was none other than the niece of Akihiko Kayaba and the famous Sailor Moon of Juuban: Serena Tsukino, who is known as Usagi in SAO.

When that fact was found out, one of the players basically lashed out against her just for that fact, but in order to make sure that the majority of the player population doesn't turn against her, another player and former beta tester of SAO, Kirito, took the hatred and anger of the other players by making himself look like the 'villain' as it were. Kirito took on the moniker, beater, which is a mixture of the words 'beta tester' and 'cheater', in order to protect our Moon Princess and his fellow beta testers to prevent a 'witch hunt' against Usagi and the surviving former beta testers in the game from the other players. Afterwards, the two of them went to the second floor of Aincrad and they separated after they activated the teleport gate at the main town of the second floor known as Urbus.

Now, on the fields of the second floor of Aincrad, this is where we find our Moon Princess as she is trying to level up and get stronger in order to fulfill her 'mission' of protecting the other players until they get out this death game and help progress to leave this living nightmare alive. It has been a brief time since Usagi has gone her separate ways from Kirito in the aftermath of the opening of the teleport gate of the second floor of Aincrad in the main town of this floor, Urbus. She knows that the fact that Kayaba's niece is with the other surviving trapped players in SAO along with 'Kirito the Beater' will become well-known in the player community of SAO and despite other players sticking up for her with Kirito focusing the hatred of players on himself, Usagi knows that it is best that she stays out of the limelight despite it being completely against her nature back home in the real world.

Right now, she managed to defeat a large cattle monster, Trembling Ox, and after it shatters into hundreds of data polygons, Usagi says, "Man! This cattle monsters aren't any bull." Usagi takes a deep breath and she then hears a feminine yell in which Usagi asks, "What's that?" Soon after, Usagi races off in the direction of the yell and comes into an area with two rocky hill in-between a small canyon. She finds Kirito protecting a female player with a brown hooded cloak on in which Usagi sees that she has three whisker marks on each of her cheeks. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Kirito?"_ Usagi then sees Kirito protecting the female player from two players that are dressed up in outfits in order to imitate ninjas and she thinks in her mind, _"What are they supposed to be? Imitating ninjas or something?"_

Just then one of the ninja players shouts out, "You Iga dog?!"

Kirito asks, confused, "Huh?"

Soon after, Usagi notices the two 'ninja players' drawing their blades and she thinks, _"What are those two think that they are doing? They aren't in town and if they attack Kirito and even just nick him, they are going to go orange and make them unable to return to town until they are green. And if they get stuck out here, they could die! What the heck are these morons thinking? This isn't just a game anymore!"_ Usagi then sees something and she gets to her feet in which she shouts out, "Hey, ninja losers!" When everyone looks at Usagi, she points behind the two ninja players and she says, "You are about to be victims of an MPK if you don't watch out!"

The other 'ninja player' responds, "What kind of trickery is this?"

Usagi shouts out, "Don't be stupid and look out already!" The two 'ninja players' then look to see another Trembling Ox and they are immediately off with the bull monster right on their heels. With the two players and monster gone, Usagi leaps down in front of Kirito and the hooded female player.

Kirito asks, "What are you doing here Usagi?"

Usagi responds, "What do you think Kirito? By the way, do you always look for trouble or does it come looking for you?" Kirito gives a nervous expression as a reply and Usagi asks Kirito, looking at the other player with him, "By the way, who is this?"

The female player was about to answer when Kirito responds, in a nervous hasty tone, "This is Argo. Like me, she is a former beta tester. She is an information dealer."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Information dealer?"

The female player, Argo, responds, "That's what the job says. I gather information and sell it for a price. Normally, what I just told you costs one hundred col, but since you did help Kii-boy and me out, I'll let it pass for now."

Usagi says, nervously, "Okay…" Just then she becomes more nervous when Argo looks her over in which Argo can't see her face thanks to her special hooded white cloak.

Argo says, "My, I had wondered what happened to the quest with that special cloak that keeps your face hidden. I had heard that someone in the first boss raid had gotten it, but I don't take 'rumors' until I had found them to be confirmed fact."

Kirito asks, curiously, "How much did you hear?"

Argo responds, with a sly smile, "That you have been put in the ringer and we have a bit of 'celebrity' in our ranks." Argo asks Usagi, "So, you must the infamous niece of Kayaba, huh?" Usagi gives a winch and she then states, "And you must know her if called her by name, Kii-boy."

Kirito and Usagi give yelps and Kirito thinks in his mind, nervously, _"Oh, crap!"_ Kirito tells Argo, "Argo, I don't care what I have to pay! I need for you to keep that piece of information silent for good!"

Argo tells Kirito, "That isn't usually my style, Kii-boy…"

Kirito responds, "Argo, do you know what it means even if her player name got out there especially at this stage of game? Come on, she just helped me save you!"

Argo says, "Okay, Kii-boy. If you keep this up, you are going to make Big Sister break the first rule of information dealing."

Usagi thinks in her mind, confused, _"Big sister?"_

Kirito tells Usagi, nervously, "Don't listen to her, Usagi!"

Usagi responds, nervously, "Okay…" Usagi asks Kirito, "Anyway, what was that all about?"

Kirito says, "Those two belong to the Fuma Ninja Force."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Fuma Ninja Force?"

Kirito responds, "They belonged to a ninja guild that was 'feared' back in the beta. Feared as in fear in when monsters pursue them, they used their incredible agility to get away and have the monsters target other players."

Usagi says, annoyed, "Oh…"

Kirito says, shaking his head, "I know, Usagi. It looks like they are still continuing their ways from the beta."

Usagi says, annoyed, "Hasn't it gotten into their heads that this isn't an ordinary game anymore? Doing that could get someone killed!"

Kirito says, with a sigh, "Yeah, I know. What you said is true, but even though it has been a month, it really hasn't settled in yet. I mean, a real-life death game? It must still be hard to imagine for some people." Kirito thinks in his mind, solemnly, _"Though there are people that have completely realized that this is no joke and this is no game anymore."_ Kirito realized this fact when on the first day a fellow beta tester tried to MPK him on the quest to get Anneal Blade, but the attempt backfired and Kirito barely survived when the other former beta tester died instead.

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Yeah, you are probably right." Usagi asks Kirito and Argo, "By the way, what was that all about?"

Argo gives a sigh and Kirito says, "Those two were bothering Argo because she had knowledge about a special quest on this floor that grants an Extra Skill."

Usagi asks, "Extra Skill? You mean those special skills that you have got to earn by doing special quests or earning by developing certain skills to a certain point?"

Kirito says, "That's right, Usagi. Shingo must have told you."

Argo asks, "Shingo?" Argo then gives a nod of recognition and she says, with a sly smile, "I see. She is his sister."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "I guess that the squirt was well-known in the beta."

Argo says, "Yep. As Kii-boy must have already told you, he was the first beta tester and the top beta tester." Argo says, "Haven't seen him around."

Usagi says, "Thankfully, the squirt had a doctor's appointment on the day of the start of the game."

Argo says, with a nod of recognition, "I see. Lucky boy."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Yeah, the brat was always bragging me about the game during the time in the beta. On the day this started, I boasted about beating him to the top."

Kirito tells Usagi, "You'll see him again someday."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Thank you, Kirito."

Argo says, with a sly grin, "Well…Well, it seems like our two 'outcasts' are getting familiar with each other."

Kirito and Usagi blush and Kirito shouts out, embarrassed, "It isn't like that Argo! Don't you dare be selling that!"

Usagi says, "Besides I already have a boyfriend!"

Argo asks, slyly, "Oh, really now?"

Usagi gives an 'eep' and Kirito tells Usagi, "Argo doesn't know the meaning of 'client confidently', Usagi."

Usagi says, annoyed, "Yeah, I kind of got that."

Argo says, with a grin, "Since that kind of tidbit probably refers to you know where, I will keep that off-limits for the time being. But Kii-boy's friend or not, you may be a bit of celebrity, however, I'm going to treat you like the rest of the crowd."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "I could only wish that I could be part of the crowd." Usagi asks, "Anyway, what's the story on that Extra Skill?"

Kirito says, "If you want to get it from Argo, you are going to have to pay though right now, I don't think that's an option." Kirito tells Argo, "However, you said that you would answer one thing for me, so, give Usagi and I the details about the Extra Skill those ninjas wanted. I'm changing my mind on what information I requested from you."

Argo gives a pout and she says, "Okay, Kii-boy, I said that I would give one bit of information on the house. However, you and Usagi-chan have got to promise me that you can't blame for what happens no matter what!"

Usagi asks, curiously, "Why?"

Kirito tells Argo, "You said something similar to those ninjas earlier. What do you mean by that? Why would someone bear a grudge against you for selling information on an Extra Skill that everyone wants?"

Argo says, with a grin, "That one will cost you extra Kii-boy."

Kirito tells Usagi, with a sigh, "Just to let you know beforehand, Argo has the moniker of 'The Rat'."

Usagi thinks in her mind, wryly, _"I'm beginning to see why."_

Argo says, with a sly smile, "That wasn't nice Kii-boy. And here, Big Sister, is giving you such helpful information."

Kirito says, "Okay, I swear to Kami…I mean, I swear to the system that no matter what happens, I won't hold it against you."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Ditto."

Argo says, "Okay, you and your little girlfriend follow me, Kii-boy." Kirito and Usagi sigh as Argo led them to the side of one of many of the flat-topped mountains that dotted this floor of Aincrad, through cavern and down an underground river, and while having several battles along the way, it was easy for Kirito's and Usagi's levels and gear, the threesome reached an area with a single tree, a single of water, and a tiny shed.

Usagi says, amazed, "Well, this just says 'special quest'."

Kirito says, with a nod, "I agree." Soon enough, the group enters the shed to see that inside it only has a few pieces of furniture and an elderly NPC that's tall, showing all muscles and bones with not a sign of fat on him, bald, a long white beard, and dressed simply like a sage in which he has a golden exclamation mark above his head which is a sign of quest in SAO.

Argo tells Kirito and Usagi, "That's the NPC who gives you the Extra Skill of Martial Arts. This is all I can tell you. It's up to you whether to accept the quest or not."

Kirito asks, curiously, "Martial Arts?"

Usagi says, "Martial Arts is fighting styles that people usually associate with no weapons…Basically, hand to hand combat much like karate, judo, tai-chi, and the like. It isn't completely true that Martial Arts uses no weapons in…the 'other world', but in games, it usually means unarmed combat."

Kirito says, with a nod, "I see. Now, I can see why those ninjas wanted it for themselves."

Usagi says, nodding her head, "Same here Kirito." Argo gives a confused look and Usagi tells Argo, "People usually think ninjas use blades and shuriken, those ninja throwing star things, but they also tend to use hand to hand combat with just a strike here and there with your bare hands and your opponent is out like a light. Or, one good neck chop and the head comes off."

Kirito says, adding in, "That's why those two wanted that skill. They wanted to round out their images as 'gaming ninja'. However, I still don't get how they knew about it. No one else knew about in the beta."

Usagi asks, curiously, "They didn't?"

Kirito says, "Nope. The only Extra Skill that was known to be found out in the beta was Meditation, a skill where you take a position to increase HP recovery and lessen debuff effects."

Argo says, "This one is on the house. At the very end of the beta, there was an NPC on the seventh floor that revealed some info about the 'Martial Arts master down on the second floor'. However, I found him way before that, but I guess that the ninja jerks heard it from the fellow on the seventh floor. So, once I got started on the info business, they came to me for details on the Extra Skill."

Usagi asks, "Since you knew where he was all along, why didn't you just give them the information?"

Argo says, nervously, "Any grudge over information sold or bought only last three days, but this one is different! This grudge could last a lifetime!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, curiously and a bit concerned, _"A lifetime?"_ Kirito and Usagi look at each other and Usagi tells Argo, with a sigh, "I still don't understand, but I won't hold it against you, Argo."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Ditto." The two of them step forward, but the two of them still got a 'bad feeling' going through them.

The NPC says, "You wish to follow my school."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yes."

Kirito says, "That's right."

The NPC says, "The road of training is long and fraught with peril."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Not like my life hasn't been ever since I became Sailor Moon."_ Usagi responds, "I'm ready to accept the danger."

Kirito says, "That's what I want to hear." The exclamation mark over his head turned into a question mark, showing that a quest has been accepted, both Usagi and Kirito get the accept acceptance long over their eyes. The NPC then escorts them out of the shop where he stops in-between two massive boulders that's a good six feet tall and five feet across.

The NPC says, "Your training is simple: Split this stone with your two fists. If you succeed, I will teach you all of my secrets."

Usagi yells out, stunned, "What?!"

Kirito says, nervously, "Timeout…"

Kirito tests the durability of one of the boulders and when he is done, he turns to the NPC, but before Kirito can say a word, the NPC says, "You aren't permitted to descend this mountain until you break this stone. I will put the sign upon you now." The NPC then takes out small jar and thick and magnificent paintbrush and both Usagi and Kirito could say or do anything, the NPC put the tip of the paintbrush and whipped it across Kirito's and Usagi's face.

When he is done, Usagi recoils and she yelps out, "Hey!" She then looks at Kirito and she yelps to see three thick whisker marks painted on each of his cheeks. Kirito tried to wipe them off, but the ink was quick drying and it didn't come off at all.

The NPC says, "That sign will not vanish until you break this rock and complete your training. I have faith in your potential, my two apprentices." The NPC then goes back into his shed and leaving Kirito and Usagi in quite a bit of shock.

Usagi says, "Excuse me for a moment." Usagi then goes behind one of the boulders and out of sight of Kirito and Argo where she removes her hood where we see that she has similar whisker marks around her cheeks as well in which she goes through her menu and materials a mirror, the same mirror that Kayaba gave to her and the other players on the day that they became trapped in this death game where it transformed their virtual avatars to look exactly what they look in real-life at that moment in time, in which she uses it to look at her. Soon enough, Kirito and Argo hear a loud screech of shock and surprise from behind the boulder and shortly thereafter, Usagi, with her hood over her head and face once again, emerges. Usagi says, solemnly, "Don't ask."

Kirito says, nervously, "Don't tell."

Usagi asks Argo, "So, this is how you got your whiskers?"

Argo says, with a nod, "Yep!" Argo tells Kirito, "You and Usagi-chan got the reason for my whiskers and the details of the Extra Skill rolled up into one! In fact, I'll even let you in on one more nugget: That rock is hard as heck!"

Kirito says, with a groan, "Figures…"

Usagi says, wryly, "Something tells me that you went through the beta with those whiskers on your face."

Argo says, with a nod, "You know it, Usagi-chan!"

Kirito asks Argo, "Did he paint whiskers just like yours?"

Argo looks at Kirito and he responds, "Hmm, they aren't the same."

Kirito asks, nervously, "Oh, what are they like?"

Argo replies, "If I had to describe you in one word, it would be…Kiriemon." Soon after, Argo let loose a huge laugh that she had been holding back and she couldn't stop herself from laughing no matter how much she tried.

Usagi tells Kirito, with a sigh, "Come on, Kirito. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get rid of these stupid…"

Kirito says, with a nod, "I'm with you."

Usagi says, with a solemn sigh, "And between you and me, I really need something to pound on right now." Kirito gives a confused look and he then realizes what she meant by that in which Kirito can only nod his head in understanding. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"I'm so glad that this game comes with pain absorbers because this would really hurt in real-life!"_ Usagi and Kirito then start to pound on their respective boulders with their virtual avatar's bare fists in which the pain absorbers make it that they don't feel any real pain at all from the effort. However, after hours of pounding and pounding, they barely crack the surface of the boulder as Kirito move off to take a rest, but Usagi continues to pound away at the boulder.

Kirito asks Usagi, curiously, "Aren't you going to take a rest?"

Usagi tells Kirito, with a sigh, "I'm not really tired, Kirito. And right, I…I still need to vent."

Kirito nods his head in understanding and he says, "Okay, Usagi. Just…Just don't push yourself."

Usagi says, with a kind tone, "Thank you, Kirito." As Kirito goes off to take a rest, Usagi continues to pound away at the rock and she only stop for a moment to lower her hood when she knows that Kirito is out of sight. Usagi then continues to pound away at the boulder with not only her fists, but with her legs, in which she uses kicks, punches, and chops now in which she has memories of her uncle, Akihiko Kayaba, with the happy memories with him only for them to be replaced by the first day of this nightmare causing tears to start to shed from Usagi's eyes causing her to attack the boulder even more fiercely than before in which she is attacking it with such ferocity that she starts to feel a 'sensation' since the pain absorbers can't seem to absorb all of the 'sensation' caused by Usagi's fists and legs hitting the boulder. Her drive continues to rocket up as images of the man that she loved, Darien Shields, and her best friends, the Sailor Scouts, are dominating her mind along with what happened during the raid against the boss of the first floor with Diabel's death.

 _ **December 5, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two**_

The following morning sees Kirito waking up and preparing for another day of breaking the boulder in which he hears Usagi giving loud shouts and grunts causing him to go over to witness Usagi, her hood covering her face/head once more, giving the boulder one powerful kick causing it to crumble to pieces before shattering into hundreds of data pixels.

Kirito's jaw drops and he yells out, "Whoa!"

Usagi sees Kirito and she asks, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

Kirito responds, a bit nervously, "Um, no. But you…"

Usagi replies, nervously, "I had a lot to vent…"

Kirito nods his head in understanding and he says, nervously, "Remind me never to get you mad, Usagi." Usagi giggles nervously as the NPC appears in front of her.

The NPC says, "Well done, my student. As reward, I shall entrust you the secrets of my school."

Usagi says, nervously, "Um…"

The NPC says, "But first, to signal your success, I shall tell you how to remove the mark from your face." The NPC lifting his robe up and he says, "Used my scared robe to remove mark from your face."

Kirito asks, shocked, "Seriously?!" He then quickly realizes something and turns his face away from Usagi getting her confused for a moment before realizing why Kirito did that. She removes her hood, takes the robe, and uses it to remove the whisker marks on her face before putting the hood back on. Soon after, Usagi gets a quest completion screen showing what she has earned including the Extra Skill, Martial Arts.

Usagi says, excitedly, "I got the Extra Skill!"

Kirito, turning his head to face Usagi once more, says, with a smile, "Great job, Usagi." The NPC then turns back to the cabin from where he came.

Usagi tells Kirito, "Kirito…"

Kirito tells Usagi, with a smile, "I'll be all right. There are no monsters around here unless you lead them here, so, I will be fine in this place."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Okay, Kirito."

As Usagi turns to leave, Kirito tells Usagi, "Stay alive out there, Usagi."

Usagi responds, "You too, Kirito."

Kirito tells Usagi, "However, for the moment, let's keep this information a secret from anyone else. You can see why Argo is afraid."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Good idea."

Kirito says, with a sly smile, "If anything, we can put this on her head later."

Usagi says, shocked, "Kirito!"

Kirito says, with a grin, "Just kidding."

Usagi shakes her head and she says, "Good luck, Kirito."

Kirito tells Usagi, "You too. But something tells me that you aren't going to need luck."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Maybe, but it wouldn't hurt."_ Usagi and Kirito wave goodbye as Usagi takes off out of the mountain and back into the 'main fields' in which Usagi is walking along.

Just then Argo's voice booms, "Hey, Usagi-chan!" Usagi yelps and turns to see Argo walking out in the trees.

Usagi asks, shocked, "Argo? How did you…?"

Argo says, with a sly smile, "In my line of work, you have got to have a few 'tricks' up your sleeve, Usagi-chan."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Able to hide from even my Search Skill is quite a trick especially since only a month has passed since the start of this nightmare."_

Argo tells Usagi, with a smile, "Anyway, something tells me that you have gotten the skill."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yes, I did. And I don't hold anything against you."

Argo says, with a smile, "Thanks, Usagi, but it isn't about that."

Usagi tells Argo, curiously, "What is it?"

Argo responds, "Just wanted to see if you could do me a couple of favors. I'll make sure to pay you back for them."

Usagi asks, a bit nervously, "Favors?"

Argo replies, with a grin, "Yep. Just a few small things. The first thing is to watch over Kii-boy."

Usagi asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Argo says, with a grin, "Kii-boy is one of my best customers and in this short time, he really knows how to keep things interesting as well produce the juiciest tidbits. So, I would like him to live as long as possible."

Usagi responds, with a nod and slight nervous tone, "Okay…"

Argo says, with a smirk, "And I would like your help on a small quest that I'm researching."

Usagi asks, "A quest?"

Argo says, with a smile, "I'm sure that a girl like you can handle it." Usagi gets a 'bad feeling' from Argo's smile, but decides that if the information can help other players improve their chances for survive, she feels that she has to help out in which Usagi nods her head, however, she gets the feeling that she is going to regret this.

 _ **December 8, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Urbus**_

In the main town of the second floor of Aincrad, Urbus, Kirito, wearing a wide bandanna across his face and without his Coat of Midnight, the Last Attack bonus prize from the first floor boss, Illfang the Kobold Lord, is with Asuna watching a male player scream and rebate at a short and brown robed male player with chair, anvil, and shelf on a strange rug of some sort.

Just then a familiar female voice says, "What's with all of the commotion?" Kirito and Asuna turn to see a female player wearing a similar cloak to Asuna's cloak, a mask covering their mouth, and a Venetian mask covering her eyes.

Kirito asks, nervously, "Um, do we know you?"

The female player responds, "Geez, I know that I look different, but I thought that you were remember me…Kiriemon."

Kirito yelps and Asuna asks, "Kiriemon?"

Kirito asks, quickly realizing who she is, "U-?"

The female player, none other than our Moon Princess, responds, interrupting, "Do you want the whole of Urbus to know?"

Asuna asks Usagi, in a quiet voice, "Usagi, is that you?"

Usagi responds, "Nice to see you again, Asuna."

Kirito asks Usagi, "I'm guessing that this is your disguise to come into town."

Usagi replies, "My white cloak would make me stand out."

Kirito thinks in his mind, a little nervously, _"And this doesn't Usagi?"_

Usagi says, "I know. I know. I get it."

Asuna asks, a bit nervously, "Why are you wearing that?"

Kirito responds, "I figured that she figured that it would get out that 'her identity' or at least, her 'connection' to Kayaba would get out sooner or later."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah. With all of my efforts in helping out other players, they are going to know my signature one of kind cloak by now. I don't want to cause any trouble…"

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Oh, Usagi…"

Usagi says, trying to change the subject, "By the way, what's going on here? You could hear that guy out into the fields."

Kirito tells Usagi, "Guy was trying upgrade his Anneal Blade from plus four to plus five. He got worked up when it failed and after screaming to get it 'fixed', it got reduced down to a spent Anneal Blade."

Usagi says, with a winch, "Ouch." Usagi says, looking over the scene, "Hold on! Is that a guy a player blacksmith? All that players I've seen are combat focused."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's right, Usagi. First player blacksmith in Aincrad I've seen. Just heard about him."

Usagi asks, "Shouldn't he have a better chance at upgrades than an NPC blacksmith?"

Kirito says, "It should be, but it doesn't mean that he won't fail. And he failed four times in a row."

Usagi asks, surprised, "Really?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "I don't see what the problem is. Can't he upgrade his weapon back to plus four?"

Usagi responds, "No, Asuna. On the weapons in SAO, the number of attempts isn't just how high a weapon can be upgraded, but it is also how many ATTEMPTS you can upgrade. An Anneal Blade has only EIGHT attempts and this guy had four successful upgrades and four failures."

Asuna says, nodding her head, "And that means that it is 'spent'. It can't be upgraded anymore."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's right, Asuna." Soon enough, the player, Rufiol, was comforted by his friends in which they said about taking the Anneal Blade quest again and get the same blade that he had before he came to the blacksmith within a week. But then soon after, they witness the blacksmith buying the spent Anneal Blade for twice what it was worth causing both Kirito's and Usagi's eyes to narrow at this.

After that episode was done, Usagi asks Kirito, "Let me guess: When you heard of him, you planned to have him attempt to upgrade your Anneal Blade?"

Kirito asks, surprised, "How could you tell?"

Asuna responds, showing an exasperated look, "You were hunting Red Spotted Beetles, Kirito. Usagi had defeated a few of them and told me that their drops provided the upgrade materials for one-handed swords."

Kirito says, nervously, "Oh…" Kirito asks Usagi, curiously, "So, you wanted to upgrade your sword too, Usagi?"

Usagi responds, "Actually, no. My main sword is already a plus eight." Kirito gave a flabbergasted look and was about to scream out before a glare from Asuna made him clap him mouth shut.

Kirito asks, surprised, "You already got your sword to a plus eight?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yep. My main Anneal Blade is a plus eight already. It is three 'S', three 'D', and two 'A'." FYI: Weapon properties in SAO are sharpness, accuracy, durability, and heaviness, but in order to avoid to complexity of saying all of the properties, the players use abbreviations. In the case of Usagi's Anneal Blade +8, it is '3S3D2A' which is short for three points to sharpness, three points to durability, and two points to accuracy.

Kirito says, amazed, "You must have gotten really lucky, Usagi."

Usagi says, a bit nervously, "Partially. I managed to get my Anneal Blade to plus six back on the first floor and I managed to get two additional points thanks to helping Argo."

Kirito asks, "Argo?"

Usagi says, nervously, "I helped him 'research' a quest that wasn't part of the beta…"

Kirito asks Usagi, with a sigh, "And it was a pain in the ass, huh?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Big time. However, the quest did help me get an awesome item. It is an upgrade ingot that pushes the success rate to the maximum for weapons that have less than ten upgrade attempts and allows you to upgrade whatever property that you wish."

Kirito is shocked and he asks, stunned, "Really?!"

Usagi says, nervously, "Yeah, it is how I got my Anneal Blade to plus eight."

Kirito asks Usagi, with an excited tone, "Where is this quest? And what is it Usagi?"

Asuna glares at Kirito and she asks, annoyed, "Seriously, Kirito?"

Kirito gets a nervous look from Asuna's glare and Usagi tells Kirito, nervously, "Um, the quest is called 'Matador Miner'."

Kirito asks, slightly nervous, "Matador Miner?"

Usagi says, with a nod and nervous tone, "Yeah…"

Kirito and Asuna give nervous expression and Kirito says, nervously, "On second thought…"

Asuna asks Usagi, "By the way, Usagi, you said that your MAIN Anneal Blade is a plus eight?"

Kirito gets an interested look and Usagi says, showing the Anneal Blade in its sheath strapped to her left side, "That's right. The Anneal Blade that I have is the main one that I use, but I have two backup Anneal Blades just in case."

Kirito asks, surprised, "Hold on! That means that you did the same quest several times?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah. During the first month, I passed by the village quite a number of times and when it was open, I did the quest for extra Anneal Blades just in case. I got both of the ones that I have to plus six with one being two 'H', two 'D', and two 'A' while the other is three 'H' and three 'D'. I want to make the first one 'sharper' and the other one 'more accurate'." Kirito is amazed by this, but he could help to agree with Usagi's practically in which she not only has backup weapons just in case, she also has weapons that she can help her in various situations for at least the first four floors due to their different properties.

Asuna says, amazed, "Wow, Usagi."

Kirito says, nodding his head in agreement, "I'll say." Kirito then makes a mental note to have a backup weapon just as good as his main weapon in the near future.

Usagi asks Asuna, "Are you and Kirito here to upgrade?"

Asuna responds, with a nod, "Yep. I have four Steel Planks and twelve Windwasp Needles."

Kirito says, "Nice work, but that means that the chance of going to plus five is only a bit over eighty percent."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Aren't those good odds to risk?"

Kirito says, nervously, "Normally, sure…"

Usagi says, interrupting Kirito, "But something doesn't feel right, Asuna."

Asuna and Kirito look at Usagi and Usagi says, "A player blacksmith should have a better chance of upgrading than an NPC could and his equipment is better than theirs, but the thing is…he managed to fail upgrades four times in a row when chance of that happening are really low and I mean REALLY low."

Asuna asks Usagi, "So, what's the problem?"

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Normally, nothing, but that guy buying a spent Anneal Blade for double of what it is really worth? It seems like he was being real nice, but I can't shake this feeling…"_

Kirito tells Asuna, with a very serious expression, "Asuna, you hate compromising right? Well, don't. Since you already put so much hard work into those material, it is best to go one more round and get the odds up to ninety-five percent. Then you are practically assured to get it to plus five WITHOUT fail."

Asuna doesn't say a word for several moments and she then says, "Yes, it is a true that I hate compromising, but I also hate people who are all talk and no walk just as much?" Kirito gives a confused look and Asuna says, "Since you are dead-set on me pursuing perfection, I assume that you are going to lend me a hand, Kirito. The drop rate on Windwasp Needles is only eight perfect after all."

Kirito asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Asuna says, with a smirk, "Now that's settled, let's go hunting. I think that the two of us together can take down about a hundred before nightfall."

Kirito gives a confused look and Usagi tells Kirito, with a sigh, "Don't argue, Kirito. It isn't going to get you anyway."

Kirito responds, nervously, "Right…"

Asuna tells Kirito, "And if we're going to hunt together, you must take off that ugly bandanna. It looks absolutely hideous on you."

Kirito gives a light groan of displeasure and Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Ouch! Right in the solar plexus Asuna."_

 _ **December 8, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Field**_

Out in the fields of the second floor of Aincrad, Kirito, back in his classic Coat of Midnight, and Asuna are hunting Windwasp, which are low health and attack power for monsters of the second floor, but they have their own difficultly since they can fly and the players of SAO can use close range combat weapons, namely swords, spears, axes, and the like, in which they are ranged weapons in the form of throwing knives, but there is a limited number that can be used based on multiple factors for each player in which they don't do the damage at the level of swords, daggers, and the like. Usagi, wearing her white hooded cloak once again, is with them watching in which she had asked if she can help, but Asuna insisted that she leave this to Kirito and herself in which they made it a contest where each of them defeats fifty Windwasps and the person that defeats that fifty slower than the other has to buy a very special cake from a restaurant in the main town of Urbus.

"Twenty-five!" Asuna shouts out as she defeats her latest opponent as it shatters into dozens upon dozens of data pixels.

"Twenty-two!" Kirito declares as he defeats his latest Windwasp.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Despite Kirito's sword being more damaging inducing, Asuna is getting more critical hits than him, but then again, rapiers and techniques involving them are used for pinpoint attacks and Asuna's Wind Fleuret has plus three in accuracy, so, it is not surprising that Asuna is getting the critical hits more than Kirito. He had better do something fast or he is going to have to pay for that expensive cake."_ Soon enough, Usagi witnesses Kirito's right hand glows and he attacks another Windwasp with **Flash Blow** , a Martial Arts Sword Skill 1 hit combo, after he hits the Windwasp with a One-Handed Sword Skill. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"It might be close."_ Later on, Usagi is consoling the solemn Kirito while Asuna is walking ahead of them with a smile on her lips hidden by her hood. Usagi tells Kirito, with a smile, "Come on, Kirito. It was real close and it could have gone either way."

Kirito says, with a sigh, "Thank you for trying to cheer me up, Usagi."

Asuna asks, "Oh, stop being such a downer. It was just by one within a few seconds or so. Anyway, so, the thing that Kirito did with the hand is a skill known as Martial Arts?"

Usagi replies, "Yeah. It is unarmed combat moves. Personally, I was surprised that there are Sword Skills that involve hands and feet, but then again, combat, even in games, is more than just weapons and such. They also have plenty of 'flashy' punches and kicks as well."

Asuna says, "I'm pretty surprised too and it looks to be a handy skill."

Usagi says, "It is. If you lose your weapon, it doesn't mean that you are defenseless."

Asuna says, nodding her head, "Yeah. If your weapon becomes lost, destroyed, or whatever, you can use your hands and feet as long as you make the proper motions and hit an enemy with similar damage to other Sword Skills…depending on your level and stats."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Right, Asuna." Usagi tells Asuna, "However, Asuna, it isn't going to be in your skill list. It is an Extra Skill which is a Sword Skill that you need to earn to be able to use. However, the knowledge of how to earn it is unknown until a player earns the skill and tells everyone else how to get it."

Asuna asks, "Since you and Kirito have the skill, why didn't you give out the information?"

Kirito and Usagi give nervous looks and Kirito says, nervously, "You see…"

Usagi responds, with a sigh, "We'll tell you if you promise not to say anything about it."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Why?"

Usagi replies, "Because Argo might get into big trouble since she was the one that provided the information and an aspect of the quest to get the skill might cause big…I mean BIG trouble for Argo."

When Kirito nods his head vigorously in agreement, Asuna says, "Then please don't tell me about it. I don't want to do anything to get her in trouble." Kirito and Usagi give a mental sigh of relief and Asuna says, with a smile, "Anyway, enough of about time, I can't wait get my hands on that cake."

Kirito thinks in his mind, solemnly, _"There goes the hope of her forgetting."_

Usagi says, with a smile, "Maybe next time, Kirito."

Kirito says, solemnly, "Yeah…"

 _ **December 8, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Urbus**_

In the main town of Urbus, Usagi, wearing her 'disguise' of a cloak similar to Asuna's cloak, mask over her mouth, and mask over her eyes and nose, is walking through the streets of Urbus by herself. After Kirito's and Asuna's personal contest is done, she separated from them to do her own business.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Maybe I should have gone with them. I still have a bad feeling about that player blacksmith. I mean, any 'evidence' is just pure chance and all, but…"_

However, Usagi hears a familiar male voice shout out, "Usagi!" Usagi whips around to see Kirito, wearing his Coat of Midnight, coming towards her.

Usagi asks, surprised, "Kirito?"

Kirito makes a motion for Usagi to quiet down and he says, "I'm glad that you are here. I need for you to keep an eye on Asuna."

Usagi asks, surprised, "Asuna? What happened?" Kirito then gives a brief explanation about when after they had their meal and the cake, in which Kirito paid for the expensive cake, they went to the player blacksmith to upgrade her Wind Fleuret and it seems to have been destroyed when the player blacksmith attempted it. Usagi asks, shocked, "Wait! That can't be possible! It had two more attempts on it and weapon destruction shouldn't be a result of a failure to upgrade."

Kirito says, "I know, Usagi. I'm going to figure out what's going on. I'm going to see if I can figure what his game is."

Usagi then gets an idea and she says, "I've got an idea of my own. I meet you back at the inn where Asuna is staying at."

Kirito says, nodding his head while not sure if Usagi's idea will help, "Okay." After Kirito tells Usagi about the inn where Asuna is staying, Usagi runs off while Kirito heads off to trail the player blacksmith to find out what kind of 'plot' he is doing. Within an alleyway, Usagi makes sure that she isn't followed and she goes in where Argo is waiting for her.

Argo says, "Hey there. I see that our 'White Swordswoman' knows how to be timely."

Usagi asks, curiously, "White Swordswoman?"

Argo responds, "That's what plenty of players are calling since you have quite a few 'exploits' back during back last month in helping other players."

Usagi sighs and she says, "Ugh. That's what I don't want to happen." Usagi then says, opening her menu and opening a trade prompt, "Here you go."

Argo is looking at her menu and she says, "Thank you kindly." Argo then asks, curiously while looking at the menu, "What's with the extra?"

Usagi responds, "I need to ask a question. Can a weapon being destroyed while trying to upgrade?"

Argo says, with a nod, "I see. Well, that's an easy one. I don't need to do any research. Strictly as a failure penalty, weapon-breaking will never happen. However, there is one way to ensure that a weapon will break with absolute certainty: When you attempt to upgrade a weapon that's out of upgrade attempts."

Usagi thinks in her mind, confused, _"Then Asuna's weapon shouldn't shatter at all! She had two more attempts, so, why…?"_ Just then a memory comes back to Usagi's mind and her eyes widen in which she turns to run off.

Argo asks Usagi, "Where's the fire?"

Usagi yells out, "Got to go, Argo! Thank you!" Usagi then takes off at top speed to head straight for the inn where Asuna is staying at and along the way, she sees Kirito coming up from a different direction in which she says, "Kirito!"

Kirito says, "Usagi, we don't have time to talk! We have to get to Asuna…!"

Usagi says, interrupting, "I know! She is being scammed! Argo told me that weapons can only be destroyed during upgrade attempts when you attempt to upgrade a weapon WITH NO MORE upgrade attempts."

Kirito's eyes widen and he says, seriously, "Move, Usagi! We don't have much time!" Usagi and Kirito zip along until they arrive at an inn and they head for an inn room number in which Kirito pounds the door causing him to yell out, "Asuna, it's me! I'm coming in!"

Usagi shouts out, "Hold on, Kirito!" However, it is too late as Kirito enters the room and Usagi can hear a feminine scream come inside of the room in which she slams her palm into her avatar's forehead as well as sighing and shaking her head as well. Later on, Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna are together in the same inn room with Asuna cradling her Wind Fleuret within its sheath.

Asuna then gives a slight dangerous smile and she asks, "Now, will you please? Why was my supposedly shattered sword left in my inventory? Why did you barge into my room like this?"

Usagi responds, "It is because you were a victim of an upgrade scam, Asuna."

Asuna asks Usagi, "Upgrade scam?'

Kirito tells Asuna, "Exactly, Asuna. I don't exactly know how it works, but Usagi has given me a good idea with what she learned from Argo."

Usagi tells Asuna, "I learned from Argo that the only way that a weapon can be destroyed by an upgrade attempt only if the weapon was 'spent' meaning that it has no more upgrade attempts."

Asuna asks, surprised, "But mine…?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Had two more upgrade which means that it shouldn't have shattered at all. It means that somehow this guy managed to switch your Wind Fleuret with a spent one to make it seem like yours was destroyed."

Asuna asks, "But how?"

Kirito says, "That's what I'm not sure about. However, I am sure that when that light from the forge when he put in the upgrade material caused us to lose sight of your sword for several moments and that's when he was able to make the switch."

Usagi asks Kirito, "But how could he make the switch in just several moments right in front of you?"

Kirito says, "That's a good question, Usagi. I don't know how it is possible."

Asuna asks, "Hold on? How could he take my sword? It belongs to me because the system says that it belongs to me, right?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "System wise, yes, it does. However, there are ways around the system defined ownership." Kirito then demonstrates and explains about equipment ownership in SAO.

When he is done, Asuna asks, "Meaning that if your main weapon gets snatched and you do a Quick Change to a backup weapon, you should put it in your left hand rather than your right hand, right?"

Kirito responds, nervously, "Ah, I see. Yes, that's a good point. But it is a lot harder to swing a sword with your non-dominate hand."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"I should start working on being able to use my swords in both hands."_

Asuna says, "And one other thing: When you barged into my room and forced yourself a peek at my equipment mannequin, you were checking for that exact thing, yes? That I hadn't equipped another weapon in its place. So, if that's was the very first condition…"

Kirito responds, a bit nervously, "Yes, that's right. The second condition was that it had to be within three thousand six hundred seconds of letting go: One hour. As long as those two conditions were fulfilled, we had a shot-one ultimate method of pulling back your equipment no matter where it happened to be. Remember that you asked me how your supposedly shattered sword was in your item storage?"

Asuna says, "In reality, my sword wasn't shattered and it wasn't in my inventory either. So that's why…"

When Asuna glares at Kirito, Usagi says, "However, Asuna's sword was under hers based on the system based rules of ownership, so, you used the last ditch method of bringing it back with the Materialize All Items command because despite Asuna not having her sword, it was still technically hers and would be brought to her since it materializes all of the items and equipment that she has in her inventory or is under her ownership based on the system rules."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Exactly, Usagi."

Asuna nods her head and she asks, "So, anyway, why was that materialize button buried so deep in the menus? It's almost like they don't want you to use it and why does it have to be all of the items? If you could just select the items aren't on hand already, there would be no need for that pile of my…my other equipment."

Kirito replies, "You just said the answer yourself. They want to make it harder to use." Asuna gives a confused look and Kirito explain about the reason why the Materialize All Items button was so hard to use as well as a story about it in which they discuss about what happened with the blacksmith player, who Kirito and Asuna explained his name is Nezha, and about how he was able to switch Asuna's sword with a spent one to make it seem like Asuna's sword was destroyed due to an upgrade failure.

Usagi asks, "But how was he able to switch it out?"

Kirito says, "That's still a good question. I realize that since Asuna handed it over to Nezha, it was a hand over situation."

Asuna says, realizing something, "Just like you said. I handed my sword over to Nezha to handle it for the upgrades."

Kirito says, nodding his head in agreement, "That's right, Asuna."

Usagi asks, "But how was he able to switch it out with another one in so short a time?"

Kirito responds, "That's a good question, Usagi. And one that I don't have an answer too."

Usagi says, "And we are most likely going to be unable to ask him. When he finds that Asuna's Wind Fleuret isn't there, he is going to realize that she somehow managed to figure out the trick and he is going to lay low or at least be on the lookout for the two of you."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yep."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "I see. You know, looking back on it, he didn't seem to be that excited to begin with…"

Usagi asks Asuna, "What do you mean?"

Asuna says, "He seem to try to convince me not to go through with the upgrade."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah, I agree, Asuna." Kirito then says, "We should lay low and gather information on Nezha and the weapon switching technique that he used. Either way, we have to get back to the front lines."

Asuna says, nodding her head, "You have a point, Kirito. From what I heard, they are going to challenge the last field boss tomorrow and move onto the labyrinth this afternoon."

Kirito asks, "Wow, that was quick. Who is leading the force?"

Asuna replies, "Kibaou and someone named Lind."

Usagi asks, "They actually allowed Kibaou to be a leader of other players?"

Asuna says, "Despite what happened between you and Kibaou, he has proven to be leader or at least, it is what other players think since he plans to form his own guild and do thing his own way in which becoming strong WITHOUT any aid from the beta testers."

Usagi asks, "I guess that he tapped into something with the players that weren't former beta testers, huh?"

Asuna says, "Yeah."

Usagi says, with a plain tone, "Well, I still think that it is stupid to think that beta testers have any blame at all. They were used by…him to perfect this rotten death game and trap us all here. Plus, as I don't want to think about, some of those two thousand players that already died have got to be other former beta testers since Argo told me that around eight hundred former testers were trapped with us."

Kirito asks Usagi, "Argo told you how many former testers there are?"

Usagi responds, with a sigh, "She reluctantly gave me a rough estimate when I swore on my life not to say anything about this."

Kirito says, "I see…"

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Oh, Usagi…"

Usagi says, solemnly, "I just think that it is wrong to blame the beta testers especially since they are dying like the rest of us to this…this nightmare prison. Just because they had knowledge of the game, it was a BETA TEST meaning that it was the 'test version' of the game that was made to find any 'defects' or 'problems' in the game. Just because they went through the 'test version' of the game doesn't mean it gives them a complete advantage up to the point where they got in the test version of game. The 'final product' is always different from the 'test version' and that's a fact."

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"That's a good point, Usagi. However, it doesn't mean that we didn't have any advantage early on in the game at all. I have to admit that I have to disagree that us, the beta testers, don't have any blame on what happened to the rest of the players that are trapped here."_ Kirito asks Asuna, "By the way, who is Lind?"

Asuna responds, "Lind was in Diabel's party during the first floor boss battle. He used a scimitar."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Oh…him."

Asuna says, "Yes, it seems like he has taken over Diabel's place. He even dyed his hair blue and his armor silver just like Diabel's."

Usagi says, amazed, "Wow."

Asuna says, "I took part in the scouting of the field boss, but it was just a big bull. Didn't seem like it needed too many as long as they were well coordinated."

Usagi says, "Well, the field bosses are harder than the regular mobs, but they aren't at the level of the floor bosses since they are the toughest bosses of the game."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Usagi is right. It doesn't take as many players to deal with the field bosses than the floor bosses as long as they are coordinated just as you said Asuna."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Yeah, but they started to get bossy about who would get the last attack bonus, so, I told them flat out that I wouldn't be part of the fight."

Usagi says, with a solemn sigh, "Oh, boy." Usagi says, "Kirito…"

Kirito tells Usagi, "I know, Usagi. We'll all keep an eye on them."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I agree. South gate of Urbus, seven o'clock tomorrow morning."

Usagi and Kirito nod their heads in agreement and Usagi says, with a nod, "Sounds good."

Asuna tells Kirito, with a dangerous smirk, "And make sure that you get a full night's sleep tonight. If you are late, you go back to a full one hundred g."

Kirito retorts, "Yeah, I know…Wait! What?!"

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Don't argue with her and just come to the meeting place on time. It will be best for all of us."

 _ **December 9, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Field**_

Within the southern area of the second floor, Kirito and Asuna are watching from a high position as fifteen players, two teams of six with three players in reserve, are in a basin challenging the field boss of the second floor of Aincrad, Bullbous Bow, massive monster bull with a bulging rounded forehead for its powerful charging attacks. Kirito and Asuna watch the disorganized group separated into three 'teams' with one team wearing blue to signify Lind's group and moss green for Kibaou's group fight a miss-mass of a field boss fight with them fighting over getting the monster's 'attention' AKA aggro, which is short term for aggression, causing the tanks of the group to fall causing them to gain a stumble debuff in which they were unable to defend themselves. As if sensing it, the Bullbous Bow makes its assault.

Asuna yells out, in a panic, "Watch out!"

Kirito shouts out, with just as much worry as Asuna, "Dash out of the way!" However, the players in the basin can't hear them and the field boss passes right through the line of shield baring warriors, who were just recovering from their Tumble stats, but before it could plow into the non-tanks of the group, the field boss monster roars out in pain as a sword hits it right in its forehead by none other than our Moon Princess, who is back in her signature white hooded cloak.

Asuna asks, surprised, "Usagi?"

Kirito says, "I had feeling that's where she disappeared off too."

Kibaou yells out with his Osaka accent, "What da heck do you think you are doing?"

Usagi shouts out, "That's my question to you and blue boy over there! Get your act together!" Usagi then uses **Flash Blow** , the Martial Arts Sword Skill combo, with her free hand against forehead of the field boss monster causing it to roar out and thrash wildly as it suffers more damage. Usagi then manages to leap down to the ground and pulling her sword out of Bullbous Bow's forehead.

Kibaou yells out, "Hey! What ya morons think that you are doing? Ya want her to stuck you up?! Get on ya feet and get reorganized right now!" Kibaou's group, the green clad players, immediately get back and reorganized themselves while Lind and his blue-clad group had already done so. Soon afterwards, the Bullbous Bow roars as it is shattered into hundreds of data pixels and the group gets their prompts for the money, experience, and items that they got with Usagi getting the Last Attack bonus prompt.

With it over, Lind says, "While we appreciate you assisting us…"

Usagi says, interrupting, "I didn't do it for you. I did it to make sure that no one got killed." Usagi points to Lind and Kibaou and screams out at both of them, "What do you think that this?! And don't give me 'what'! There can be no fatalities! That's an unacceptable result here! Everyone back down in the Town of Beginnings is looking up to us to get them out of this prison and you are fighting over a boss monster like a regular mob! What is the matter with both of you?"

Kibaou says, "You listen here missy…!"

Usagi screams at him, sternly, "No, you listen here you spiky haired freak!" Kibaou slightly recoils back and she says, sternly, "You are supposed to be a leader of other players! They are looking up to you to guild them through this prison and help them not only conquer, but also to survive! And being a leader is more than just giving orders, pal! You are supposed to guild them too! How can you be a leader when you are caring more about stupid attack bonus items then their very lives?!"

Kibaou and Lind flinch from Usagi's words and Asuna's voice booms out, "She has a point you know." Everyone looks to see Kirito and Asuna coming down to everyone and Asuna says, sternly, "That whole boss battle was mess! The floor boss was a better battle than this and it is a miracle no one died this time! You are among the 'top players' of this guild and the other players down back in the Town of the Beginnings are looking up to you for hope and inspiration! What are they going to think if they see them squabbling for Last Attack bonus items like little kids over a toy?! What would Diabel think if he saw you all right now?!"

Kibaou, his group, and Lind with his group flinch from Kibaou's and Lind's right hands turn into fists and Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Ouch! Right in the breadbasket!"_

Lind says, with a nervous look on his avatar's face, "Your point…is taken."

Usagi says, sternly, "They better be. I don't want to have to save your fellow player's lives again."

Kibaou responds, "You won't. We don't ya help and we don't need this beater's help! And we are going to prove it too! We're going to show that the Aincrad Liberation Squad will be able to survive and grow on its own! Do you understand me you goons?!" Kibaou's group gives a cheer and Kibaou says, "Don't expect being the 'big heroine' anymore since we won't need to. We're going to get through this without ya help or that beater's help at all! We're going to help all of the other players become strong and get through this stinking' prison alive!"

Lind says, "That's the job of the Dragon Knight's Brigade. We will take the will of Diabel and inspire the other with hope as well as give them the will to survive and thrive in this prison until we get ourselves free from this nightmare." Lind tells his group, "Let's show them our strength together everyone!" Lind's group cheers for Lind while Kibaou secretly sneers at Lind as Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna take their leave.

Kibaou then says, not looking at Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna, "And good luck to you three. Ya all going to need it when we blaze through that dungeon and kick that boss' ass."

Kirito says, with a sly tone, "We'll see." Kibaou just scoff as Kirito as he, Usagi, and Asuna head off and when they are out of sight of the others, Usagi stumbles forward and sighs a big sigh of relief.

Asuna asks, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Usagi responds, with a nod, "Yeah, I'm okay." Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, _"I seriously can't believe that I did that!"_

Kirito says, "You were great out there Usagi."

Usagi says, nervously, "Thanks, Kirito, but I think that I might have gone overboard."

Asuna responds, "No way, Usagi! You got it into their heads what it really means to be a leader and hopefully, they will get into their heads that this needs to be taken seriously!"

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Maybe, Asuna. However, I'm not sure that it will work or at least, not right away. But Usagi…"_ Kirito can't help to feel that it sounds like Usagi is a leader type person or has led people before she came to SAO, but he decides not to say anything about it. Kirito tells Usagi, "Usagi, we need to talk."

Usagi asks, curiously, "About what?"

Kirito says, "About those three players that weren't part of Lind's and Kibaou's groups. They are friends with Nezha."

Usagi asks, surprised, "What?" Soon after, Kirito explains what happened last night when he went to spy on Nezha. When he is done, Usagi asks, "So, he is doing it because his friends want to?"

Kirito says, "It seems so, Usagi. When I spied on them, Nezha said that he felt that they should stop, but his friends encouraged him on."

Usagi asks, looking back towards the basin where the battle with the field boss happened, "And those three that weren't with Lind's and Kibaou's groups were three of them?"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Yeah. They call themselves the Legend Braves."

Usagi asks, "Legend Braves?"

Kirito says, "It is because they take their names from legendary warriors from western history and lore. Those three were their leader, Orlando, a legendary knight of France, Beowulf, from England I think, and finally, Cuchulainn, who I think is from Celtic lore and history."

Usagi says, "That explains the name." Usagi asks, "So, they are Nezha's friends?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "They called him 'Nezuo' which I think it is a nickname or something. From what I heard, Nezha doesn't want to do this, but his friends are pressuring him to continue on. They are feeling a 'high' from their success."

Usagi asks, "I see. But we don't have any evidence, so, we can't just accuse them of anything even what happened with Asuna. And we don't get the full story on the weapon switching trick that Nezha attempted to do to steal Asuna's sword. What can we do?"

Kirito says, "Stick with the plan and lay low in which we try to figure out that trick." Asuna nods her head in agreement and Kirito says, "However, let's not rush back to town right away. Nezha's friends, including the group's leader, saw us and in which when Nezha found out that he 'lost' Asuna's sword, he knew that Asuna found out about his trick somehow and a female player with a red hooded cloak isn't too common a sight. I think that we should spend time in the labyrinth before we return to town."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Okay, Kirito." Asuna is confused at why they shouldn't go back right away, but she decides to follow along to the labyrinth.

 _ **December 9, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Labyrinth**_

Inside of the second floor labyrinth, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are together where they are facing a monster known as Lesser Taurus Striker, a minotaur monster with two-handed hammer.

Asuna yells out, "NO! Stay away!" Asuna then uses a **Linear** , the 1 hit Rapier Sword Skill with very quick cooldown, attacks the enemy monster who was attacking with its hammer causing its attack to slow down as Asuna's attack hits the minotaur monster in the chest.

Usagi shouts out, "Asuna, dodge and switch!" Asuna, on instinct, dodges the attack and Usagi uses **Horizontal Arc** , a 2 hit One-Handed Sword Skill, to finish off the minotaur who explodes into hundreds of data fragments.

Kirito tells Usagi, "Nice work, Usagi."

Asuna tells Kirito, annoyed, "That was not a bull!"

Usagi tells Asuna, "You have a point, Asuna. However, minotaur monsters are so common in games, especially fantasy and RPG games, players usually call them either 'tauruses' or 'bulls'."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Minotaurs? Like in Greek mythology?" Kirito then explains about the lore about the minotaur and their connection to RPG games.

Afterward Kirito asks, a bit nervously, "So, what was it about the mino…I mean, taurus that didn't meet your approval?"

Asuna says, "It wasn't wearing…Well, hardly anything at all! Just a tiny scrap of cloth across the waist! It was practically sexual harassment! I wish the harassment code would kick in and send it to the prison of Blackiron Palace!"

Usagi responds, plainly, "Well, it is a monster, Asuna."

Asuna asks, curiously, "How come you aren't disturbed by this Usagi?"

Kirito replies, "That's because Usagi is a gamer, Asuna. She may be a 'newbie' when it comes to SAO, but she is a gamer and most likely, she played plenty of RPG games before the NervGear came out and also, she isn't a beta tester for this game, however, she was the 'tester' for the NervGear itself."

Asuna says, realizing that Kirito is right, "Oh, yeah." Asuna says, with a sigh, "And probably, the rest of the few girls like me that are trapped in SAO are also 'gamers' and they wouldn't bat an eye towards this kind of thing."

Kirito responds, plainly, "Not exactly. Remember, this isn't a game anymore Asuna. Everyone knows that if you lose your HP in here, it is all over." Asuna and Usagi, solemnly nod at this statement knowing that it is true.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Well, Kirito, you are partially right about me. It isn't just because of my 'gamer experience', but as Sailor Moon, I faced plenty of youma and other monsters that were even more grosser or stranger that overgrown bull…But I had Darien-kun and the others with me. I wish that they are here right now with me."_ However, Usagi gives herself a mental 'slap' to remember that she is trapped in here and, at least for the moment, the others can't come in after her even with the genius of Ami Mizuno AKA Sailor Mercury on their side. Usagi knows that her uncle, Akihiko Kayaba, is the rare type of genius that could stump even her. Usagi tells Asuna, "Anyway, if you are…uncomfortable…"

Asuna tells Usagi, with a sigh, "No, Usagi. After several more encounters I think that it will be okay."

Usagi tells Asuna, "You never really played games when you were younger, huh?"

Asuna responds, "No." Asuna says, "Anyway, it is best that we don't think about…the 'outside'."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Good idea. Let's keep our focus on what's ahead." Usagi and Asuna nod their heads in agreement and they continue on into the second floor labyrinth with the intention of forging ahead.

 _ **December 9, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Taran**_

Later on that day, Usagi, wearing her red hooded cloak and two masks for her face, Asuna, and Kirito, having his Coat of Midnight off and wearing his bandanna for his disguise, are going through the town of Taran on the second floor which is using the base for the players going through the labyrinth.

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Anyway, I'm going to meet Argo for a bit."

Usagi tells Kirito, "Actually, I have business with Argo too."

Kirito asks, surprised, "Really?"

Asuna says, "Same here."

Kirito asks, surprised, "You too?" Just then Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi hear a familiar clanging of metal on metal and the two of them run to just outside of where the sound is coming from and from a hiding position, the three of them look to see none other than Nezha with his 'gear' in the eastern part of Taran.

Asuna says, with a sneer, "The nerve he's got. You and Usagi figured out his deception yesterday and instead of laying low, he's set up in the latest town."

Kirito says, "Actually, maybe the fact that he's here in Taran is a sign of caution."

Usagi asks Kirito, "What do you mean?"

Kirito says, "I don't think that he would know that we would be in Urbus at the same time since that's the place that his fraud was discovered. While his friends did discover us and there was a threat of them putting two and two together. The fact that he is here may not be the case. They may not have figured that the same female player that Nezha took the Wind Fleuret from is a 'top player' of the game." Kirito tells Asuna, "No insult to you, Asuna."

Asuna says, "Well, it doesn't change the fact that he's got nerve. I mean, if he's going to change towns just to set up shop again, it means that he is going to do his weapon switching trick again."

Kirito says, "He probably will, but he will be more careful when choosing his victims."

Usagi asks, "More careful?"

Kirito says, "If the Legend Braves are trying to leapfrog their way to the ranks of the front-line players, they're not going to those players for the scum. There's no point trying to reach that rank if no one else trusts you."

Asuna says, "So, I suppose they had no problems in stealing my sword since they didn't classify me as one of the top players."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Hold up! When I say front line players, I mean the organized players like Lind's and Kibaou's group. You can't tell someone is like that unless you have some kind of visual identifier and I bet that Nezha didn't think that I was a top player either."

Asuna asks, annoyed, "Are you kidding me? Aren't you getting ready to fight the next boss?"

Kirito responds, nervously, "I would like to, but if Lind or Kibaou say they don't want me, that's that. In fact, I feel that there is a high probability of happening…"

Asuna says, annoyed and interrupting, "I don't know about Lind, but Kibaou has to understand how crucial your strength and knowledge are in defeating the boss in which the same goes for Usagi."

Usagi asks, "Huh?"

Asuna says, "He is no fool. After that stunt with the field boss of this floor and how you barely managed to hold out against the first floor boss, Kibaou knows that you are strong players rivaling even Kirito or at least, that's what I think. Personally, he said: 'I still can't get along with ya. I'm going to do things my own way to beat this game.' If that's his ultimate goal, he wouldn't let his pretty pride get in the way of beating a floor boss. Like it or not, both you and Kirito are vital for the advancement in this death game."

Usagi says, "You may have a point."

Kirito says, "Anyway, let's meet with Argo. I'm going to need to meet with her in a few minutes."

Usagi says, "Same here." Asuna nods her head and the three of them head off to meet with Argo. That evening, within an empty house within town, Asuna and Usagi are within the upper floor of the house with Asuna setting up a chair looking at the window of the house looking down at the plaza.

Asuna says, "This is a good angle."

Usagi says, with a nod, "But don't get too close." Soon after, Kirito enters the room and takes out four steam buns from a bag in which he puts them on a nearby table.

Asuna asks, "What's inside those?"

Kirito responds, "Don't know. But since this is a cow-themed floor, so, I'd guess it's probably beef? By the by, in western Japan, when they talked about steamed meat buns, they mean beef. However, in eastern Japan, the generic term is pork."

Usagi says, nervously, "That doesn't give much information on what this is since we don't know if this town is based on a Japanese town much less one based in Western Japan or Eastern Japan."

Kirito says, nervously, "Good point." Asuna removes her leather glove from her hand and took one of the four buns from the pile in which Kirito grabs one of his own.

Usagi asks, looking at Kirito and with a nervous tone, "Kirito, do you know what the food item's name is?"

Kirito responds, "Oh, it's…Taran Steamed Buns."

Usagi yelps in panic and she yells out, "Asuna, wait…!" However, Asuna's strangled shriek hits the ears of Kirito and Usagi and they look to see Asuna with thick colored cream over her face and neck with the bun in her hand missing a bite. Usagi says, with a sigh, "The bun is filled with warm custard cream…and some kind of sweet-soul fruit…"

Kirito says, nervously, "Oh…" Kirito then puts the bun that he took down and takes out a handkerchief to allow Asuna to wipe the cream off her face and neck in which he knows that Usagi is implying 'personal experience'.

Usagi tells Asuna, "Sorry."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "No problem, Usagi. Next time that we do a stakeout, I'm going to cook my own food. I'd rather not have to eat something terrible like this."

Usagi says, nervously, "Asuna…You need to use a cooking skill to make food and with a cooking skill of zero, you can't make anything good unless you use very high quality items at best."

Kirito gives a nervous twitch and Asuna says, with a shrug, "Guess I need to start working on it then." Asuna then sees something out the window and she says, "Look." Kirito and Usagi look to see a player heading to Nezha and his 'shop' in the plaza in which they see that this player is a male with metal armor and wearing a blue uniform showing that he is a member of Lind's group, the future Dragon Knight's Bridge guild. He removes his sword, which Kirito recognizes is a one-handed sword known as a Stout Brand with puts attack strength over speed, and the group figures that sword is good for Nezha's weapon switching trick as any rare weapon.

Usagi asks Asuna, "Do you recognize him?"

Asuna replies, "I think that his name is Shivata."

Kirito asks, "With a 'V'? Not Shibata?"

Asuna retorts, "It was spelled 'S-h-i-v-a-t-a'. Seems pretty clear to me."

Kirito replies, "Understood." As the three of them look on, they quickly realize that the male player, Shivata, asked for an upgrade since Nezha went for a bag of crafting materials.

Asuna says, "The left hand! Keep your eyes on the left hand!" The three of them focus on Nezha's hand and looked on as Nezha seemed to move along the upgrade process in which when the red light from his forge flared, all three of them notice Nezha's hand do something strange causing them to gasp. Soon after, they witness the blade of the Stout Brand in Nezha's hand shatter into pieces. Later on, all three of them are looking at each other and Asuna asks, "What now?"

Usagi says, "We should tell Shivata about it, but…"

Kirito says, with a nod of understanding, "Shivata may not be satisfied with just confronting Nezha with the evidence and others he may have done this to may not be just satisfied with exposing him. There might be those that may…take this to the 'ultimate conclusion'."

Usagi yells out, nervously, "They can't!"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Of course they can't! That would be…!"

Asuna shutters from what she is about to say and Kirito says, "I know. We can't let that happen, but we can't let this continue too."

Usagi asks, "But how can we make them stop without having THAT kind of 'punishment' happening?"

Kirito responds, "That's a good question, Usagi." Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna start to discuss on the situation as a whole and how to resolve it without any death when Kirito gets a message from Argo in which he makes the message visible for Asuna and Usagi to see in which when they get to Nezha's information, their eyes grow wide when they see certain information.

Usagi asks, "What?"

Asuna asks, "Does it mean that we were pronouncing it wrong?"

Usagi says, "Maybe it could a different version of that name…"

Kirito then says, "Oh…!"

Usagi and Asuna look at Kirito and Usagi asks, "What is it Kirito?"

Kirito says, "I get it now! I know how his weapon switching trick works!" Usagi's and Asuna's eyes grow wide and Kirito says, "We've got work to do. Or should I say, I've got work to do. I'm heading to the labyrinth."

Usagi asks, confused, "What? Why?"

Kirito says, "I need to get my sword skill up." Kirito gets to his feet and he says, "Follow me. I'll explain on the way." Kirito starts to head off with Asuna and Usagi following him with confused expressions on their faces through it can't be seen on Usagi's face due to the masks.

 _ **December 11, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Taran**_

In the eastern plaza of Taran, around 8:00 PM, Kirito is facing Nezha and holding out his Anneal Blade plus six in front of Nezha. However, Kirito is in disguise with a great helm and thick plate mail all over to disguise himself so Nezha won't recognize him since Kirito knew that Nezha when he wore his bandanna disguise during Nezha's attempt to steal Asuna's Wind Fleuret. Hidden in the shadows are Asuna and Usagi to prepare for their moment and soon enough, Nezha performs the same 'trick' with Kirito's Anneal Blade switching for the spent one that the player Rufiol had or a similar spent Anneal Blade which shatters when he tries to upgrade that spent Anneal Blade. Nezha prepares to apologize, but Kirito then reveals himself and used the same way that Nezha switched out Kirito's Anneal Blade with a spent one in his player inventory: The Quick Change skill modification for players using the One-Handed Sword Skill.

FYI: Usually, regular method of changing weapons was a five step process and since that was the case, when you faced an enemy monster with a snatch ability, you are most likely going to take a hit, but with Quick Change, you are able to switch weapons in just two steps. With Quick Change, you specify which hand received which weapon when the icon was hit and even _allow you to automatically pull the same type of weapon as the one you were equipping if you had a spare._ And it is this fact that's the heart of Nezha's scheme. Despite the ownership rights haven't changed, this kind of action is the same as a hand over situation that Kirito mentioned to Asuna and thus, making the weapon 'equipped' to Nezha allowing him to use Sword Skills and 'modifications' including Quick Change.

Knowing that he is exposed, Nezha says, weakly, "I suppose this isn't something that a simple apology will atone for. It would be nice if I could return the swords I stole from all of those people…but I can't. Nearly all of them were turned into money. The only thing that I can do now is…this!" Nezha then prepares to run in the direction of outside fields, but he doesn't get far as Asuna leaps out of the window and in front of Nezha.

Asuna tells Nezha, "You won't solve anything by dying."

Nezha turns his face away from Asuna in shame, showing that he recognizes her, and Nezha says, "I decided from the start…that if someone discovered my fraud, I'd die in atonement."

Usagi's voice booms, "Committing suicide?! That's your answer! You aren't atoning for anything! You are just running away!" Nezha looks at the source of the voice to see Usagi, in her white hooded cloak, is right besides Kirito and she says, "You might be betraying your customers by stealing those weapons, but you are betraying every player working to defeat this game to get everyone out alive! You just give up and you are spitting on their faces!"

Nezha says, amazed, "You are…!"

Usagi says, "I see that you heard of me."

Nezha says, "Well, who hasn't? You are the 'White Swordswoman', Kayaba's niece that he trapped in here with us and I heard stories from players that you have saved."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"So, they call me the 'White Swordswoman', huh?"_

Nezha yells out, in a panic, "It'll happen anyway! I'm such a slow, clumsy oaf, I'll die eventually! Whatever I get killed by monsters and or kill myself, the only difference is whether it happens sooner or later!" Kirito gives a chuckle at those last words in which Asuna glares at him with Nezha having a hurt look on his face.

Kazuto tells Nezha, nervously, "Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you. It is just your words reminding me that's exactly what this lady said just a week ago…"

Nezha asks, surprised, "Huh?" Nezha asks Asuna, "By the way, are you Asuna of the front liner fighters?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "Huh? How did you know?"

Nezha replies, "Well, the fencer in hooded cape is pretty well-known. Not as well as the 'White Swordsman' since there are many players that told stories about her when she saved so many players from death…"

Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"But not enough, Nezha…"_

Kirito tells Usagi and Asuna, "It seems like your cloaks are starting to identify you two."

Usagi says, annoyed and solemn tone in her tone, "Yeah, I kind of got that."

Nezha asks, curiously, "So, Asuna-san said something like I did?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "She did. It happened after Usagi saved her. It was in the first floor labyrinth and I was doing my own thing when I found a player wearing an unusual white hooded cloak saving another player in a red hooded cloak from a group of Kobolds. I was kind of shocked to find that player in the white hooded cloak was female…Well, it was the fact that very few females ventured out of the Town of Beginnings and those that do that are in groups. I never expected any of them to remain solo and two at the same time. This female player handed the red hooded cloaked player to me and she took on the Kobolds by herself while I got her out of there. After I had gotten the red hooded player out of there, I learned she was a female player too and learned both of them were solo and never met each other until that day." Kirito says, motioning to Asuna, "She told me something similar to what you said after I got her out of there and later on, I learned that the one really saved her life was none other than Kayaba's niece…Which shocked and horrified me to no end that…monster…villain…fiend…that anyone would put a treasured family member in this situation and this horror."

Asuna says, "Neither do I." Asuna says, "To be honest, the feeling hasn't disappeared at all. We're only on the second floor and there are one hundred in total. However, I still remember that day. A day when a fellow girl player that was trapped in here, who didn't know me at all, and risked her own life to save my own. She told me not to waste my life. While I'm not optimistic to say that I'm doing it to live and beat the game, but I'm not fighting to just die. I'm fighting for a reason." Asuna tells Nezha, "You must have your own reason. Something that you ought to fight for. I mean, you left the Town of Beginnings on your own two feet didn't you?"

Nezha responds, "It's true. There was something…but it is gone now. It was gone before I even got here. That happened the day I brought this NervGear. When I…When I tried the first connection test, I got an FNC…"

Asuna asks, curiously, "FNC?"

Usagi responds, "Full-Dive Nonconformity, Asuna. A Full-Dive machine is an extremely delicate machine that sends signals back and forth to the brain to cause it to move only your virtual avatar and not your body at the same time. And not everyone is different. It is like a fingerprint. It has to be finely tuned to work with each individual, but since they were mass producing the NervGear, they couldn't spend ages in fine maintenance. In order to compensate, the NervGear had an automatic calibration system that went through a long and tedious connection test on first use."

Kirito says, "Which is how the data to make our avatars look like our real selves on the day that we got trapped was gained."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Oh, yeah. I remember that."

Kirito says, "I think that we should discuss it somewhere else a bit more private." Usagi and Asuna nod their heads in agreement and after helping Nezha pack up his stuff, they moved into an empty house near the plaza to hear the rest of Nezha's story. Asuna learns that FNC are rare in which one of the five senses isn't 'communicating' with the NervGear properly or slight lag in communication between NervGear and the brain. Most cases, it was a slight obstacle, but a few times that it made people unable to Full-Dive at all. However, in Nezha, the FNC must have not be extreme enough not to allow him to Full-Dive. However, Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito learn that Nezha's FNC could be fatal in SAO since he can't judge distance and that was beyond bad for SAO since the game, for the most part, didn't have distance weapons like bows for example. The ability to judge how far your weapon would reach and how far the monster is away from you made the difference in the world.

Soon after, Kirito revealed on how he figured out Nezha's weapon switching trick with Quick Change skill mod since Nezha's name was based on Prince Nata or Nataku, the boy god in the Ming period fantasy novel, Fengshen Yanyi, who used various magical weapons and flew through the sky on two wheels. Knowing that Nezha came here to be a warrior and not a crafter inspired Kirito to realize the secret of Nezha's trick. After that Nezha explained how the Legend Braves group came together in another VR game before SAO and how he tried to use Throwing Knives skill to cut as a fighter, but gave up due to the finite number of knives that one can carry and Nezha blamed himself for the group's slow start through Kirito, mentally, believes that it was due to him and the other former beta testers racing off and leaving everyone else behind.

Then Nezha revealed that after he took up crafting, a mysterious person wearing a black hooded poncho revealed the trick to them and asked for nothing in return which made Asuna, Usagi, and Kirito very suspicious. He also revealed that while the Braves weren't up to the scam at first, but man in the black hooded poncho managed to convince them with his 'smooth talking' convince them otherwise in which when Nezha did the trick for the first time, the Braves couldn't help to want to take this further.

When Nezha is done, Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito look at each other and Usagi thinks in her mind, concerned, _"I don't like this. This guy gave away the way to perform this scam without anything in return? It is like he knew that…that…"_

Kirito then asks Nezha, "Nezha?" When Nezha, his avatar's cheeks soaked with virtual tears, looks at Kirito, Kirito asks, "What's your level?"

Nezha replies, "I'm level ten."

Kirito asks, "Then you have got only three skill slots. What are you using?"

Nezha says, "One-Handed Weapon Crafting, Inventory Expansion, and Throwing Knives…"

Kirito responds, "I see. If I told you that I had a weapon you could use, would you be prepared to give up on crafting? On your Blacksmithing skill?"

Usagi asks Kirito, "Kirito?"

Kirito tells Usagi, "Usagi, I'm going to need a favor."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Okay." Soon after, Kirito takes something out of his inventory causing Asuna's, Usagi's, and Nezha's eyes to widen when they see it.

 _ **December 14, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two**_

Heading towards the area where the quest to gain the Extra Skill, Martial Arts, is contained, Usagi is walking along and checking her massages.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"By now, Kirito, Asuna, and the raid group should be at the boss' chamber. I should be with them, but I need to make sure that Nezha will be okay and not do anything…drastic. However, he really seems to want to make up for going along with this scam. I just hope that this plan goes through despite me not knowing what it really is with Kirito 'forcing' Nezha to become a fighter and give up his blacksmithing."_

As she approaches the area with the cabin and the large boulders, Nezha's voice booms, "White Swordsman-san!" Usagi then looks to see Nezha running up to her, but he is dressed very differently now.

Nezha is now wearing a bronze breastplate, gauntlets of the same material, an open faced helmet, and in his two hands, there is a thick bladed circular throwing weapon with a leather grip. This is a Chakram, a weapon belonging to the throwing knives, but unlike Chakrams from ancient India, this one can be used like a set of brass knuckles as well as a throwing weapon. That meant that this weapon couldn't be handled with just Throwing Knives Sword Skill alone, you also needed the Martial Arts Extra Skill as well.

Usagi says, seeing Nezha's face, "Oh! You did it!"

Nezha says, with a nod, "Yes, I just finished the quest!"

Usagi responds, "It must have been hard work."

Nezha replies, with a nod, "Yes, it was. I'm amazed that you were able to finish it in just one day and night."

Usagi replies, nervously, "Well…I had a lot of 'stuff' to 'vent'." Nezha, getting what Usagi is implying, just nods his head in understanding.

Just then a familiar female voice says, "Hey!" Usagi and Nezha look to see Argo coming up to them.

Usagi says, "Hey, Argo."

Argo tells Usagi, "We've got big trouble!"

Usagi asks, concerned, "What's wrong?"

Argo says, "I just completed some quests and I got some information on the boss. It has been changed from the beta!"

Usagi then remembers what happened at the battle with the first floor boss and she asks, "What's the change?"

Argo says, "Originally, there was two bosses, but now, there are THREE!"

Usagi and Nezha gasp and Usagi asks, shocked, "What?"

Argo replies, "Yep! His name is Asterios the Taurus King and he has a lightning breath attack that could stun if not inflict a paralyze effect if and when it hits!"

Usagi says, seriously, "We need to go now!"

Argo retorts, "No joke, girlfriend! I need you to get me there and fast!"

Usagi says, "Let's go!" Immediately, they head off with Argo and Nezha following with Nezha trying his best to keep up. As they are running out towards the dungeon, Usagi asks Argo, "Do you know the weakness of the new boss?"

Argo says, with a grin, "Sure do!" When Argo says something to Usagi, her eyes, hidden by the cloak, widen.

Usagi tells Nezha, "Nezha, you are about to get your big chance to help out in a battle. We're going to need big time." Nezha gives off a confused look, but nods his head as the three of them race off for the floor labyrinth to get to the others before this new information to the second floor boss or should I see BOSSES could cause a disaster.

 _ **December 14, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two, Second Floor Boss Room**_

Just outside of the second floor boss room, Usagi, Argo, and Nezha are racing towards the open door. They managed to get there through the labyrinth quickly with a combination of sheath and power with Nezha's long range attacks and Usagi's and Argo's Hiding Skill to avoid mobs in which Usagi's combat centered abilities to break through others in a hurry.

Argo tells Usagi, with a smile, "You have been working out!" Usagi doesn't reply as the three of them look into the chamber to see a shocking sight in which they see a black titan of a minotaur with a crown on its head: Asterios the Taurus King. However, what was more shocking was the massive boss was preparing to attack a group of paralyzed players including Kirito and Asuna.

Usagi thinks in her mind, in a panic, _"Kirito! Asuna!"_ Usagi quickly gets herself focused and she tells Nezha, "Nezha, you know what to do!"

Nezha responds, with a nod, "R-Right!" The Chakram in his hand glows as he activates a Sword Skill and he lets it fly in which it hits the massive boss in the crown area, its weak point, causing it to roar out in pain and stop the attack. Everyone then sees Argo, Nezha, and Usagi and plenty of them are shocked especially Nezha's comrades in the Legend Braves, who were part of this boss raid group.

Usagi tells Nezha, "Keep doing exactly what Argo told you!"

Nezha says, "You got it! You help the others!" Usagi and Argo head off while Nezha continues to fight the monster knowing exactly when to dodge its breath attack while Usagi immediately administers potions to Asuna and Kirito to cure them of their paralyzing debuff.

Kirito says, "You made it."

Usagi says, with a nod, "No kidding. We rushed here when Argo found out the information about the changes to the boss from the beta."

Kirito asks, "Argo found out?"

Usagi says, "She took some quests and got some information on the boss in which she learned about the overgrown piece of beef, his attack, and his weak spot."

As Asuna looks to see Nezha using his new weapon against the boss, she says, "The crown."

Usagi says, "Bingo." Usagi then gets out more paralyzing potions and helps other members of the raid group that were paralyzed back to their feet while Argo goes to Lind and Kibaou in which she gives them the information on Asterios to them. Despite the near fatal setback, Lind and Kibaou decide to continue on with Nezha joining in the fight with his use of the Chakram, able to hit the boss monster on its weak point, vital to the whole battle. However, one of the other players, traumatized by what just happened, also 'bows out' in which Usagi quickly takes his place to help. With Nezha's help, the floor boss was beaten and Kirito, who had already gotten the Last Attack bonus from Colonel Nato and General Baran, the floor boss of the second floor during the beta, had managed to get the Last Attack bonus from Asterios as well. After the 'Congratulations' sign is seen in the room and the voice heard, the raid group celebrates the achievement.

Agil goes up to Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito and he says, "Your teamwork is great as always and girl, you really know how to give a helping hand, but this victory doesn't belong to you. It belongs to him." Agil, Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito then look at Nezha, who is standing alone on the far side while looking where the boss was before it shattered into hundreds of data pixel to signal its destruction.

Usagi asks, looking around, "Where did Argo...?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "I'm not surprised." Kirito then motions for Usagi and Asuna to follow him and they do so to meet with Nezha in which they talk with him. However, a group of several players came up and Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi noticed that Shivata, a member of Lind's group that Nezha had stolen from, come over to them.

Usagi thinks, nervously, _"Uh oh."_

Shivata says, "You're the blacksmith who was working in Urbus and Taran just a few days ago, aren't you?"

Nezha says, "Yes…"

Shivata asks, "Why did you switch to a fighter? And how'd you get that rare weapon? It is a drop-only item, isn't it? Did you make that much money from smith work?" Nezha then admitted his crime and bow down in front of Shivata in which Nezha put the blame on himself and didn't mention the Legend Braves at all in which all of the anger and rage of both Lind's and Kibaou's group of players shout out in rage with Lind confronting Nezha, but then a skinny dagger wielding member of Kibaou's group screamed out that a person died due to Nezha stealing his weapon forcing him to use a cheap weapon. In which those words caused other players accusing Nezha to be a PK: Player Killer. And a 'Player Killer' in SAO is murderer since if you die in the game, you die in real life because the NervGear kills you nearly instantly after your avatar 'dies' in the game.

Thinking quickly, Usagi asks the member of Kibaou's group, "Who was the player?"

Everyone focuses on her and Kirito asks, "Usagi?"

Usagi asks the member of Kibaou's group that said Nezha's actions caused the death of a player, in an accusing tone, "Who was that player that died because of Nezha-san?"

The player responds, angrily, "Are you protecting that PK?"

Usagi responds, plainly, "I'm not defending his actions. I'm just saying for a fact that Nezha did steal rare weapons and equipment for other players. In fact, Kirito and I were the ones that found this out." Plenty of the other players gasp and Usagi gives a look to Kirito to say 'I'm sorry' through Kirito can't see her face due to her hood over her head/face in which Usagi says, "We investigated Nezha-san ourselves and when we figured out how he did it, we forced him to stop by making him give up his blacksmithing and take up a combat role. During our investigation, we didn't hear anything about a player dying from the loss of a weapon. You said that you know the truth and that means that you know the player's name or someone that knows the player's name." Kirito realizes that Usagi is telling the truth for the most part, but finding out that no one died due them Nezha taking their weapon is a bluff. However, her bluff worked when everyone focused on that player and he knew that he was on the 'hot seat'.

The player doesn't say a word for a few moments and he says, nervously, "Actually…it was only a rumor that I heard…I don't know the name…" Kibaou didn't like that and he glares down at the player with a very menacing look.

Lind then says, "While the proof of death is GREATLY in question, it doesn't take back that it is established fact that this player stole for other hard working players. You might have forced him to stop him for doing any more harm to more players, but he has already harmed a lot of players from his actions as Shivata can attest. And while it is GREATLY in question that anyone died from his action, it is possible that other players could have died or while GREATLY in doubt, there is a chance that this 'claim' is true. You and Kirito have done well into stopping this scam, but what can you suggest in him paying them back with nothing to pay those players?" Usagi gives a nervous look because she didn't have an answer at all, but then the Legend Braves comes over and bow with Nezha in which they admit their part in the scam. Soon after, they gave away their equipment to be sold in order to make the money back for those that the Legend Braves scammed in which they held an action in the recently cleared boss room with Lind asking Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna to deliver news of the victory by leaving the labyrinth in which they couldn't send messages even in a recently cleared boss room and head to the next floor.

Asuna asks, "Well, it seems like this case of fraud is going to wrap up safely. What do you suppose Nezha and the Braves are going to do next?"

Kirito says, "Depends on them. They can't prevent the tale of the Braves' shady behavior from spreading around the front line."

Usagi says, "I'm sure that they will be back."

Asuna says, "I hope so." Asuna tells Usagi, "By the way, Usagi, you did great."

Usagi says, "I really…"

Kirito tells Usagi, "You did great, Usagi. You really helped save Nezha's life."

Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"And failed so many others…But I'm glad to know that Nezha's life will be getting better…at least a little."_ Usagi says, "However, I'm worried."

Kirito asks, "About that guy in the black poncho?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Kirito says, "I know what you are thinking and I think that you are right. I think that he wanted Nezha to get caught and for him to get killed as a 'punishment' for his crime."

Asuna asks, concerned, "By why?"

Kirito replies, with a sigh, "I don't know and I don't even want to think about my theories…because I might be right about them."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Same here, Kirito. Because I'm getting the same feeling."_

Asuna asks, changing the subject, "Anyway, what happened to the boss' last attack bonus?"

Asuna looks at Usagi while Kirito gets nervous and Usagi says, "I didn't get the prompt."

Asuna asks, looking at Kirito, "Now that I think about it, didn't you get the LA on Colonel Nato and General Baran? You didn't get the king too, did you…?"

Kirito says, nervously, "Oh, hey! There's the exit!"

Kirito races off and Asuna yells out, running after him, "Oh no, you don't! You did win it, didn't you? What did he drop? Tell me!" Usagi giggles under her hood as she follows Kirito and Asuna as they head for a pair of thick and large doors decorated with a relief that shows two swordsmen facing off among gnarled old trees with the left one being dark-skinned and the right one being pale skinned, but both of them had the same features of being slender and fragile with elf-like ears.

 **The End…For Now**

Well, that's the end of the first of the Progressive stories and believe me, it was a biggie! I'm sorry for summarizing some of the events that happened in Progressive Novel 1, but I didn't want to go into over explanation of stuff and ruining the story in large, folks. You know the first part where Usagi/Serena meets Argo for the first time was part of the flashback in **Shadow of Aincrad** fanfiction story that I did and I always wanted to expand on that in which I believe that I was quite successful on doing. Anyway, please tell me what you think and read and review, but no flames please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	5. Story 5: The Black SWORDSWOMAN?

So far, most of the stories that we have here come from the 'Aincrad arc', but not this time! I think that you remember Lux's appearance in **Shadow of Aincrad** , right? Well, if you wanted to know the full story of how they met her, as Kuro, you don't have to wait anymore! Now, you are going to get the full story of that little adventure right now, folks! However, before I start the story, once again, I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 5: Girls Op 1: The Black…SWORDSWOMAN?!**

Note: This story takes place in-between **Sailor Moon Online** and **Sailor Moon Online: Shadow of Aincrad**.

 _ **Late May 2025, Juuban District**_

Within the Juuban District, we head into a certain apartment complex where we go into one of the apartment homes where we find a familiar blond haired young woman of around 18 years of age waking up and stretching as she heads to the bathroom where she looks to see a familiar young man of 22 years of age with short black hair.

The young man says, with a smile, "Good morning, Meatball Head."

The young woman responds, with a smirk, "And good morning to you, Darien-kun."

The young man, Darien Shields, tells the young woman, "It is a surprise to see you up. I thought that I would have to wake you up. And I wouldn't blame you, Serena. We had a long night last night."

The young woman, Serena Tsukino AKA Sailor Moon, replies, "Don't remind me, Darien-kun."

Darien tells Serena, "Thankfully, we had some help."

Serena says, with a nod, "Sailor Celestial is just incredible. It is like…Like she was born to be a Sailor Scout."

Serena goes into deep thought and Darien asks, seeing this, "What's wrong, Serena?"

Serena says, "Every time that I see Suguha, I feel this…this…"

Darien asks, interrupting with a kind tone, "Familiarity?"

Serena responds, with a nod, "Yes."

Darien says, "Since she is a Sailor Scout, she does come from the Silver Millennium."

Serena says, shaking her head, "It isn't that."

Darien asks, curiously, "What's wrong?"

Serena responds, "It feels like…I really knew her…I was close to her…"

Darien asks, curiously, "Close to Suguha?"

Serena replies, "Like family."

Darien asks Serena, "Have you asked Trista about any siblings when you were Princess Serenity?"

Serena says, "Not yet."

Darien asks Serena, "Have you felt a feeling of family with Suguha that you do with Kazuto?"

Serena asks, curiously, "Actually, it feels that way. Darien…?"

Darien says, with a smile, "Just thinking Meatball Head. Like I said before, I can't help to be grateful to Kazuto for helping you the way that he did during the time that you spent trapped in that prison."

Serena says, with a smile, "I guess that we, 'outcasts', of SAO found a way to stick together."

Darien tells Serena, with a smirk, "Well, I heard a lot of tales about your time with Kazuto and Asuna from Asuna herself."

Serena says, a bit nervously, "Really?"

Darien says, with a smile, "Don't worry, Asuna didn't mention anything…TOO embarrassing."

Serena thinks in her mind, nervously and sarcastically, _"That makes me feel a whole lot better."_

Darien tells Serena, "Anyway, you should get ready Serena. We're going to need to get you to school."

Serena responds, sarcastically, "Right, dad." Serena heads for the bathroom and Darien can't help to smile, but he gets a serious look for various reasons.

 _ **Late May 2025, SAO Memorial Academy**_

Inside of the SAO Memorial Academy, Serena, in her school uniform, is walking through the hallways of lunch room until she spots Keiko and Rika sitting down at the same table.

Serena comes over and she asks, "Hey, you two! What's up?"

Keiko and Rika say in unison, "Serena!"

As Serena sits down, Keiko tells her, "We were talking about 'Angel's Whispers Rings' quest."

Rika says, "It has been added to ALO and New Aincrad."

Serena asks, curiously, "Really?"

Rika asks, "Didn't you go on that quest?"

Serena says, with a nod, "Sure. I traded a set of rings with Kirito…Kazuto to keep in contact."

Keiko asks, shocked, "Really?"

Serena responds, nervously, "We did, but it was more a practical thing than anything personal."

Rika asks, slyly, "Really?"

Serena replies, with a glare, "Really, Rika. You know that we are like brother and sister."

Keiko says, with a smile, "Well, like any good and close siblings, you would prefer voice messages rather than old fashion texts."

Serena says, "You have a point, Keiko."

Keiko says, with a sigh, "Kirito…Kazuto thought that it was just a phone."

Rika says, "Yeah, that's not a surprise, Keiko."

Serena says, with a giggle, "That would be him for you, Keiko."

Keiko says, "Anyway, we were just talking about going on the quest, but since Kazuto is out, we were thinking about Asuna."

Serena says, shaking her head, "No go, Keiko. Remember, Asuna was trapped in ALO for about several months after we had gotten out. Asuna did manage to make it to reunion a while ago, but even then, she was still recovering and she is still recovering now. Even when Kazuto and I went into ALO to save her, he was still in the final stages of rehabilitation himself. I was the only one at full strength for…you know."

Rika says, "I still can't believe that I'm friends with a super-hero."

Serena tells Rika, with a glare, "I don't think that whole school heard you, Rika."

Keiko says, with a smile, "Easy, Serena."

Rika says, "We were just so shocked."

Serena says, "Well, I felt that it was time that you deserved to know. You are among the few friends that I had in there other than Kirito and Asuna. To be honest, I don't know where I would have been if it wasn't for friends like you."

Keiko says, with a smile, "You and Kirito saved my life, Serena."

Rika says, with a grin, "Same here, girlfriend."

Keiko tells Serena, "Would you come along with us, Serena?"

Serena says, with a smile, "Sure!"

Rika says, with a grin, "A good old fashion reunion between us girls sounds pretty cool."

Keiko says, "Maybe we should bring Leafa along? She doesn't know anything about the quests from Aincrad, but I think that she would love to try this."

Serena says, with a smile, "That's a good idea." Soon after, Keiko uses her smart phone to contact Suguha to see if she could join in for the quest. After the phone call is done, Serena, Keiko, and Rika give nervous looks and Serena says, "I guess that she is in."

Rika says, nervously, "I guess so."

Serena thinks in her mind, _"Suguha and Kazuto are really close through I think that she is getting used to the 'complexities' of their relationship."_

Keiko says, with a smile, "I think that it is going to be nice for us girls to go on a quest together."

Rika says, with a grin, "No kidding. We can learn each other's abilities better and Serena can learn about her buddy outside of a 'professional level'."

Serena says, with a glare, "Funny, Liz." The three girls giggle as they continue to enjoy their lunch together before they have to go back to their classes.

 _ **Late May 2025, Juuban District**_

Back at Darien's apartment home where Serena is staying, Serena is preparing her Amusphere rig as Luna, her guardian feline, leaps onto a nearby chair.

Luna asks Serena, "Heading to Alfheim, Serena?"

Serena says, with a smile, "I'm meeting up with Liz, Silica, and Leafa and heading for New Aincrad."

Luna says, with a smile, "That's good, Serena. You are going to need to interact with the newest Sailor Scout. You have to remember Sailor Celestial may be associated with the Moon Kingdom, but she is an independent Sailor Scout at a 'higher level' than you."

Serena says, "I know, Luna. She is a 'Sovereign Sailor Scout' with powers that exceed mine as Sailor Moon."

Luna says, with a nod, "Correct, Serena. Back in the Silver Millennium, she was one of the best warriors and one of the best swords wielders ever known. Her favorite style hasn't changed one bit from the Silver Millennium."

Serena asks, "She preferred a kendo style?"

Luna says, "Yes, but she used a style very much the one that you described that you and Kazuto used during your time…over there."

Serena asks, surprised, "Sailor Celestial is a duel wielder?"

Luna says, "You surely saw her two swords, Serena?"

Serena says, as an image of Eternal Sailor Celestial comes to her mind, "Oh, yeah. You're right." Serena asks Luna, "Wait! Could…?"

Luna responds, with a smile, "Your friends might be waiting for you."

Serena responds, with a nod, "Oh, yeah!" Serena then lies down on her bed and prepares to use her Amusphere to Full-Dive into Alfheim Online also known as ALO for short. Luna gives a smile, but after Serena Full-Dive into ALO, Luna gives a sigh and goes into deep thought especially about Sailor Celestial and duel wielding making her wonder.

 _ **Late May 2025, ALO, New Aincrad**_

Inside of New Aincrad within ALO, Usagi, Leafa, Lisbeth, and Silica are in front of the garden with outdoor pavilion that contained the quest NPC for the Angel Whisper's quest: A beautiful female angel. However, the NPC had tsundere personality which is getting to Leafa quite well.

Leafa says, exasperated, "Okay, I've tried to work with this, but this is not the angel that I imagined!"

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Don't blame you, Leafa."

Silica says, with a nod, "It's hard not to feel that way. She's supposed to be bitter because she has been betrayed by so many humans."

Leafa says, annoyed, "A little too bitter if you ask me!"

Lisbeth says, "Oh, don't worry. She follows the tsundere script, so, she'll be nice and friendly before you know it."

As the four girls walk away, the NPC says, looking away in classic tsundere style, "Hey, I guess you might as well be careful out there."

Leafa says, "You're right. She really is getting nicer already."

The NPC gains a blush and she screams out, nastily, "Psyche! D-Did you really think I'd say that?! Loser!"

When the NPC vanishes, Leafa yells out, "She's not a tsundere! She's just a sulky child!"

Usagi says, nervously, "Well, you might have a point, Leafa."

( **Later on** )

Inside of New Aincrad within ALO, Usagi, Lisbeth, Silica, and Leafa are walking around a field to a place known as 'The Tower of the Downtrodden' and Leafa gives a sigh at dealing with NPC Angel who has been programmed with _tsundere_ personally through Leafa doesn't think so.

Leafa asks, "Is that kind of stuff that SAO was programmed with?"

Usagi says, "This quest is tamer than the others trust me, Leafa."

Silica says, "And others were just plain weird, but this is the more memorable quests. The 'demon' that we had to fight was a fluffy bunny."

Leafa asks, shocked, "A bunny? Isn't the enemy that we have to face is a demon?"

Silica says, with a nod, "A bunny shaped demon."

Lisbeth says, "A winged bunny and a bit on the big side."

Usagi tells Leafa, "I couldn't believe when I saw it, Leafa. I had a major 'question mark' in my head and I had wonder where you know who got all of his heads from."

Lisbeth says, "The angel said: 'I didn't think that it was right to threaten you with a big scary demon! You got a problem with that?' It was pretty lame excuse."

Silica says, with a smile, "It was hard for me to beat up on a cute fluffy bunny."

Usagi says, "I've got to admit that it was pretty hard for me to beat up on what looked like an overgrown helpless bunny rabbit."

Lisbeth says, "The major 'tsundere' part came at the final battle in which if you are on the ropes, it would throw buffs at you. I knew that it was the angel in disguise."

Silica says, stunned, "What? It did that for you? It never did for me when I fought it."

Usagi says, curiously, "That's weird. It did that for me when I fought it."

Silica asks, amazed, "Really?"

Just then Leafa yells out, "Come on, you guys! Enough! No spoilers, okay?"

Usagi says, with a smile, "Yeah, we had better cut it out."

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "Sorry, Leafa."

Silica says, "I'm sorry, too, Leafa."

Leafa says, "I know that it is a good memory for you…"

Usagi says, with a weak smile, "Yeah, it is…One of the few good memories that I have."

Leafa says, nervously, "Oops."

Usagi responds, with a kind smile, "I'm sorry, Leafa. It is kind of hard to remember anything good coming out of that."

Lisbeth asks Usagi, "Hey, what are we? Chopped liver?"

Usagi says, with a smile, "Sorry, Liz."

The group looks at what looks like an ancient tower with moss and other 'growth' and Silica says, "There it is!"

Lisbeth says, "With the four of us, the opponent shouldn't be much trouble."

When they reach the entrance and open the door, Silica says, "Now, it is time for Leafa to have fun with that cuddy-wuddly fluffy bunny!" However, with a massive 'thud', the four girls see that it is a massive wolf-like monster instead of the rabbit that the three SAO survivors remember.

Leafa asks, with a nervous tone, "Wasn't the monster supposed to be a giant bunny that the angel brought out?"

Silica says, with a shocked tone, "That's what it should have been."

Usagi asks, nervously, "Could it have been changed?"

Silica says, realizing something, "That's right! The message about the quest said that the difficulty was updated after it was transferred into ALO."

Lisbeth asks, "But wait! We are the only ones here, so, why is the boss already active?" The answer comes in the form of a 'blur' in which they see a humanoid form attacking the monster.

Usagi asks, "Another player?" Just then the whole group are shocked to see the humanoid form looking similar to a familiar Duel Wielding swordsman.

The four girls shout out in unison, "Kirito?!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, stunned, _"No way! He is away on study and he doesn't have any access where he is!"_ As the player that seems to be Kirito fights against the monsters, Leafa, Silica, and Lisbeth charge forward.

Lisbeth says, "I don't know what's going on, but we have to help him!"

Usagi says, "Girls, wait!" The figure seems the three females rushing in and grimaces before the monster roars as it unleashes a wide area magic attack.

Leafa says, "Crap! Wide area magic!"

As the attack heads towards them, Usagi draws her swords and she yells out, "Watch out!" However, before she could intervene, the figure does so ahead of time and uses two swords to block the attack in which the player parries a claw attack.

Leafa says, amazed, "A perfect parry!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a serious tone, _"That's not…"_ After a furious attack, the monster shatters into hundreds of data polygons and they look over at the 'Kirito look-a-like'.

Silica says, "Thank you for helping us."

The 'duplicate' of Kirito responds, "No, it was my fault for not reacting sooner. You aren't hurt, are you?"

As Leafa, Silica, and Lisbeth stare at him, Lisbeth says, "No, thanks to you." The four girls quickly notice that this 'Kirito look-a-like' while looking a lot like our Black Swordsman has different including that this player's hair is slightly longer, down to shoulder length, and the player has chin length bangs.

Silica says, "So, it isn't him after all."

Usagi says, "I already noticed that. This player doesn't use Duel Wielding like he does and I should know since I use a similar style."

Lisbeth says, "Not surprising since you are like brother and sister."

Leafa thinks in her mind, with a mental sigh, _"More so than you think, Liz."_

Usagi tells the player, "Sorry if you seem confused, but you look similar to a friend of ours."

The player responds, "A friend?"

Usagi responds, "He is a Duel Wielder through he used his swords in a different style. He is a very close friend of mine."

Silica says, "I'm not surprising that you can tell the difference between this player and Kirito's style…"

The player replies, shocked, "Wait! Kirito? You know the great Kirito-sama?"

The others give surprised looks and Leafa asks, "Kirito-sama?"

Usagi asks, getting an idea, "Wait! Are you…Are you an SAO survivor?"

The player that looks a lot like Kirito responds, "Yes, I am."

Silica asks, amazed, "Really?"

Lisbeth asks, curiously, "Is that why you dress like that?"

The player responds, nervously, "It wasn't my intention. When I heard about New Aincrad on ALO, I created an avatar for here and I set the values to random in which this is how it came out. Just like the great hero, Kirito-sama, one of the two heroes that freed us from SAO other than the 'White Valkyrie' herself, who fought to protect the other players and saved so many others lives."

Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"And failed so many others…"_ With Leafa, Silica, Lisbeth, Usagi, and the player that looks like Kirito, who is revealed to be a female player that goes by the name of Kuro, which is also the Japanese word for black, they are walking along after an 'incident' where Silica feel and Kuro catch her to leave them in a 'compromising position' where Usagi, Lisbeth, Silica, and Leafa learned that Kuro is a girl.

By this time, the four girls were done introducing themselves and Silica says, "That was a shock."

Kuro says, "Sorry about that confusion. With this avatar, I tend not to act feminine here."

Usagi says, with a shrug, "There is no problem in that. In here, I have a friend that tries not to act feminine even though she is a woman herself and IRL, she tends to dress in man's clothing."

Kuro asks, amazed, "Really?"

Usagi says, "Her handle in ALO is Haruka."

Kuro asks, curiously, "Haruka? Oh, wait! Isn't she one of the 'Great Nymphs', a group of female players that are among the strongest in ALO?"

Lisbeth says, with a grin, "That's right. And Usagi is friends with all of them."

Kuro says, "That's incredible, Usagi-san."

Silica says, "Well, you are pretty strong yourself, Kuro-san. I can't believe that you beat that big monster by yourself with two swords."

Kuro says, "It wasn't anything special and I barely beat that monster. Plus, I'm only doing the Duel Wielding out of respect for Kirito-sama. The left sword is strictly for parrying and my actual attacks are just copying the One-Handed Sword Skills I used in SAO. So, the Duel Blades thing is just for show. My 'strength' is just an illusion."

Lisbeth says, "Wouldn't that apply to everyone? Kirito had the Duel Blades skill in SAO, but that skill doesn't even exist in ALO yet."

Kuro says, with a smile, "Personally, I think that if it was Kirito-sama, he would have destroyed that monster with ease."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Maybe, but then again, I think that a monster would have given Kirito a good fight even if he kept his stats from SAO."_

Kuro says, with a smile, "I want to be much stronger. Just like him and strong enough to protect everything on my own. I wish I had been…"

As Usagi looks into Kuro's eyes, Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Her eyes. Could she…?"_ Soon after, they stopped and found the area where the NPC angel had been, known as the Angel's Rose Pavilion, to be utterly destroyed.

Leafa asks, stunned, "What could have happened?" They explored around and they found a giant footprint in the ground.

Usagi says, "That's new."

Silica says, "I guess that when they converted, they added giants due to the ALO being based on Norse mythology."

Usagi says, "So that rumbling was the giant shaking the ground."

Lisbeth says, "The foreshadowing of the giant's attack."

Silica says, "I remember the old days when the angel was fidgeting for our return."

After Lisbeth mimics the angel, Usagi says, with a smile, "That's about right."

Silica says, "I wonder where the tsundere angel could be right now." Pina looks over in one direction and the four women notice a feather floating in the air.

Usagi asks, "A feather?"

Silica says, "It looks like it is object that can be manipulated."

Leafa tells Silica, "Go for it." After Silica pressed on the feather, a click is heard and an image of the angel appears giving a message that the trial was a failure and that she didn't have ring as well as to 'get lost'.

Usagi says, "Well, that was rude."

Lisbeth giggles and Silica asks, "Liz?"

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "A ransacked rose garden, a kidnapped angel, and an insult meant to keep us away. Things are starting to heat up here and I like it."

Usagi says, "Not surprising that you would get excited about this, Liz."

Silica says, "Well, we are going to have to follow the giant's footsteps if we want to continue."

Leafa says, with a nod, "It looks like it."

Silica asks Kuro, "Kuro-san, do you want…?"

Kuro responds, interrupting, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to handle this alone."

Usagi asks, "Huh? Why?"

Kuro replies, "I'm sorry, but I was excited that you knew Kirito-sama. However, I had no intention of forming a party in this game. I'm sorry, but this is where we part."

Silica says, confused, "But it is an online game and everything."

Kuro says, "I understand everything, but I made this choice for myself."

Silica says, "But it is dangerous and there might be monsters that far more dangerous than that one."

Kuro responds, with an empty smile, "Dangerous? You know that it isn't true, Silica. It is 'just a game' again. Dying here doesn't mean dying for real."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Her eyes…"_

Kuro says, "It was nice talking to you, but I'm heading out. If you wait a bit, the quest will reset and you can start over."

Usagi tells Kuro, "Wait, Kuro!" Kuro stops and when she looks at Usagi, she says, "You're wrong, you know? Kirito and I didn't beat SAO on our own."

Kuro asks, surprised, "What do you mean?"

Lisbeth says, a bit concerned, "Usagi…"

Usagi tells Kuro, "I know Kirito is because he was one of my first friends in SAO and one of my best friends in that ordeal. He and I were the ones that struck down Kayaba at the end of SAO."

Kuro asks, stunned, "What? Wait! That means you are…?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "I'm the one that you know as the 'White Valkyrie', the betrayed niece of Kayaba." Kuro gives a look of shock and surprise and Usagi says, "Kuro, if I think that you are doing, you are going to destroy your own heart. I should know, Kuro-san. Every day, I struggle to come to terms with what happened in SAO, what I experienced, and the betrayal close to my heart. I thought that SAO was going to be a wonderful new adventure, but instead, it turned into worst type of nightmare. To be honest, I don't like to fight and I never wanted to fight, but I couldn't sit around and drown in despair as the people that I loved waited for me back home and people were suffering due to Kayaba's machinations. I had to do something and I went out there and fought for everyone." Usagi says, solemnly, "But I keep thinking that it wasn't enough and I had seen so much death in SAO." Usagi tells Kuro, "Kuro, please don't do this to yourself."

There is nothing said for a few moments and Kuro says, with a kind smile, "Usagi-sama, thank you for telling me. However, this is something that I need to do alone." Kuro then turns around and walks away from Usagi, Leafa, Silica, and Lisbeth as she prepares to finish the quest on her own.

After she had gone, Leafa says, "I know that it is worrying, but it was Kuro-san that beat that mid-boss earlier. We can't stop her."

Usagi says, solemnly, "Yes, I know." Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"I guess that I think so much about the death that I keep forgetting that they weren't the only 'casualties' of SAO. There was so many people, both in SAO and outside of SAO, who had their 'lives destroyed'."_

Silica asks, "I wonder: Did she lose someone important to her in SAO?"

Lisbeth says, "Silica…"

Silica asks, looking at Usagi, "Should we follow her?"

Usagi asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Lisbeth and Leafa also look at Silica in surprise and Silica says, "I believe that we should go after her."

Lisbeth says, "But there's no guarantee we'll be any help if we do catch up…"

Silica says, interrupting, "But we haven't done a thing in the first place!" Lisbeth recoils in surprise and Silica says, "If she really wanted to be alone, I wouldn't bother her, but someone doesn't smile like she did if they wanted to be left alone. But she must be bearing some kind of burden that causes her to make that choice." Silica looks at Usagi and she says, "Like you do, Usagi."

Usagi asks, a bit nervously, "I'm that obvious, huh?"

Lisbeth says, with a kind smile, "Just like your Sailor Scout friends say that you are."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Oh, really?"

Silica says, "I want to be a source of strength for her as you and Kirito have been for me, Usagi. Maybe I'm just being nosy when I shouldn't, but don't you agree that there are things that can't be solved alone? So, if there is something I can do for her, I want to do it. We only just met her, but wouldn't it be a shame if we had just said good-bye without knowing why. And there is also a personal reason…" Silica tells Usagi, looking at her, "Maybe if we help a fellow survivor, you can finally leave the old Aincrad completely behind Usagi."

Usagi says, amazed, "Silica…" Usagi then smiles and she says, with a kind tone and smile, "Thank you, Silica." The group heads off to follow Kuro and the group follow the giant's footprints lead to some kind of mausoleum building.

Silica says, "There, look ahead."

Usagi says, "The giant's footprints lead there? But the door…"

Lisbeth says, "You know how quests can be Usagi."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Point taken, Liz."

Silica asks, "Do you suppose that Kuro-san is all right?"

Leafa responds, "I think that she is fine. You saw how tough she was against that boss earlier."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Good point, Leafa."

Lisbeth asks, "So, everyone ready?" Lisbeth says, "And I don't mean just for the battle ahead."

Usagi says, with a nod, "We don't know how Kuro-san will react to us 'meddling'."

Silica says, with a determined tone, "I'm ready."

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "Good answer." The group goes through the door and they find themselves in a massive room where they see a huge mass of slime monsters with an hourglass that has a timer where the slimes are coming from.

Usagi asks, shocked, "What is this?"

Leafa says, shocked, "Slimes! And they are everywhere!"

Lisbeth asks, seeing the timer on the hourglass, "Are you supposed to survive through the countdown?" Lisbeth says, shocked, "There is no way that a solo player can survive this."

The group draws their weapons and Usagi says, seriously, "Okay, let's go!"

Silica, Lisbeth, and Leafa reply in unison, "Right!"

Immediately, they leap into the fight and Kuro yells out, noticing them, "You guys! What are you doing here?" Usagi, Leafa, Silica, and Lisbeth are fighting through the slimes in which Silica and Kuro bump into each other. Kuro says, "I told you, I want to do this ALO…"

Silica yells out, interrupting, "I'm sorry!" Kuro stops speaking due to her surprise and Silica says, "I heard what you said and I understand. But even so, I couldn't let you go like that. If you've got something heavy on your mind, I want to help…and so does Usagi. We're follow SAO survivors and since you look so much like Kirito, we want to help you as friends."

Kuro says, "Silica, it is none of your…!"

Just then they hear Lisbeth yell out, "They spit acid! It's ruining my armor! What's with these slimes?" Everyone looks to see some of Lisbeth's outfit melted away by the slime's acid attack.

Usagi manages to avoid the acid attacks and she thinks in her mind, with a winch, _"Oh, gross out! This is why I hate slime monsters!"_

Silica says, seeing Lisbeth, "Liz!" However, a slime sneaks up on her, but Kuro manages to destroy it before it can attack her. Silica tells Kuro, "Kuro-san, thanks!"

Kuro tells Silica, "Silica, swing around the left and gather the enemies up. I'll hack from the front."

Silica says, amazed, "Kuro-san."

Kuro says, "I'm not saying we should work together. We're just handling this floor's battle simultaneously. We'll start from there."

Silica says, "Okay!"

As Silica heads off, Kuro thinks in her mind, _"Silica, you're just as nosy and kindhearted as she was. And this time, I'll keep you alive."_ The battle continues with Kuro, Usagi, Silica, Lisbeth, and Leafa fighting against the legion of slime enemies against them and while they are not too powerful by themselves, the sheer numbers of them cause the group quite some strain in which their acid attacks damage their clothing/armor expect for Usagi, who seemly managed to avoid getting hit by the slimes while trying her best to help the others not get hit.

Usagi tells them, "Sorry about all this, girls."

Leafa says, "It isn't your fault, Usagi."

Lisbeth says, "Man! I can't believe that you managed to get through this without a single bit of damage."

Silica says, with a blush, "I'm glad that Kirito isn't here to see this." Silica says, "Well, she was a member of the Assault Team in SAO and a top player among them. She is the best after all."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"I wish that I could agree with that Silica."_

Kuro thinks in her mind, _"Usagi-sama…She has to be the 'White Valkyrie'. The hero of SAO…who with Kirito-sama…the Black Swordsman…took down Kayaba himself…"_

When the group sees the last slime come out of the hourglass device, Usagi says, "There are no more slimes coming out of that thing!"

Leafa says, with a nod, "That means that we all need to do is take care of the rest."

Just then Kuro rushes ahead and Silica shouts out, "You can't do this, Kuro-san! Don't rush ahead!" Kuro slices through all, but three of the slimes, however, her sword skill doesn't reach them and she is frozen due to the post-motion freezing after using a high-level sword skill. However, Silica gets in way of the acid attacks, but in Kuro's mind, she sees another young teenage girl with a flower in her long flowing hair. Silica yelps as she gets hit by the acid attacks causing her to get knocked into Kuro.

Lisbeth, Leafa, and Usagi say in unison, "Silica!" All three of them take care of the final three slimes and they look at the clock to see over a minute and a half remaining on the timer.

Leafa says, "That was the last one."

Silica says, "Whoa! Taking those three attacks make my head spin!" Silica looks at her HP bar and she says, "Yikes! And my HP is nearly gone! Good thing, I was able to withstand it for you." Silica says, turning her head to look at Kuro, "Oops. Sorry about bumping into you like that Kuro-san…" However, Silica stops to see Kuro having a blank look in her eyes with her avatar's eyes streaming tears.

Kuro collapses to her knees and she screams out, "Why?! Why did you protect me?! Why?! What's the point of that if you can never come back?! I don't want to ever go through that again! Don't leave me all alone…Rossa!" Kuro starts to cry and Silica hugs her.

Silica tells Kuro, "Calm down, Kuro-san. I'm just fine. I'm right here."

The others assemble around Kuro and Silica and Usagi asks, concerned, "What happened?"

Silica says, "I'm fine, but Kuro-san…"

Lisbeth asks, concerned, "What happened to her?"

Silica responds, "I don't know for certain, but perhaps we should give up this quest for now and head back to town for a bit.

Leafa says, "Good idea. In that case…" However, Leafa looks at the hourglasses and sees the time go down to zero in which she shouts out, "Wait! The countdown is still running…!" Before Leafa could finish, the whole room shifts into a tile floored platform in a vast 'space'. Leafa asks, "What's going on?"

Usagi asks, "The room shifted?"

Just then a booming voice shouts out, **"Welcome to my chamber!"** Everyone looks to the source of the voice to see a massive giant made of stone, similar to Norse legends, with the NPC embedded/entrapped in its chest in which it booms out, **"Now, angel, watch as the bonds you held so gear crumble into dust!"**

Usagi says, shocked, "Oh, crud! We're in a boss chamber!" Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"The others' HP is too low! They won't last for long! How could they throw us into a boss fight like this?!"_

Leafa says, "First, we need healing!" Leafa tries to cast a healing spell, but the giant slams its staff into the ground causing a shockwave that interrupts Leafa's spellcasting. Leafa says, "It interrupted my casting!"

As the giant prepares to attack, again, Usagi says, "I'll hold it off! Try to get more spells and potions out!" The giant moves in to attack again with Usagi preparing to defend, but Kuro, unexpectedly, leaps in and defects the attack, but she is thrown to the ground due to the sheer power behind attack causing her low HP to lower even further.

Kuro says, "Don't die on me…I'm tired of people disappearing…I can't take it anymore!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, seeing the pain and anguish in Kuro's eyes, _"Her eyes…"_

Silica says, "Just a moment earlier, Kuro-san seemed confused. When I stepped in to protect her, she was seeing someone else…"

Usagi says, her eyes widening, "The person that she lost in SAO…" Lisbeth and Leafa look at Usagi in shock and Usagi says, "Someone in SAO must have protected her in the same way and never came back…"

Leafa says, horrified, "Oh, Kami…"

Usagi says, "Seeing that nearly repeat must have caused that 'old wound' to 'reopen'. If she sees that again, even if there is no danger of dying here, Kuro…" Usagi says, shaking her head, "We've got to stay alive and complete this quest. I'll hold it off! Leafa, you need to focus on healing!"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Okay."

Usagi tells Silica, "Silica, you need to help Kuro. Most likely, you are most like the friend that she lost in SAO. You need to help her snap out of it."

Silica responds, with a nod, "Right."

Lisbeth tells Silica, "You have to show us you have what it takes to own up to your choice to go after her!" Silica nods her head and she heads off while Usagi leaps into the fight.

Usagi yells out, "Hey, gravel for brains! Why don't you try to stomp me out or are you took chicken?!"

The giant responds, **"You will pay for your taunt, little fairy!"** The giant focuses its attacks on Usagi, who manages to avoid the attacks, and uses two swords to strike back causing the giant to grimace.

Leafa shouts out, as she is healing the others, "Nice one, Usagi!"

Lisbeth says, with a smirk, "She wasn't called the 'White Valkyrie' for nothing!" Lisbeth, after Leafa healed a significant amount of her HP, leaps into the fight and both Usagi and Lisbeth keep the boss monster's attention focused on them while Pina heals Silica and she goes over to Kuro.

Kuro tells Silica, "You need to get away from here! I'll handle him…" Kuro finds that she is struggling to get to her feet and she says, "Damn it! Why can't I move? Why now! When I just wanted to protect you. When I want to make sure that I don't lose you again!"

Silica says, "Kuro-san, please calm down…"

Kuro says, not hearing Silica, "I need strength…strength like Kirito-sama…and Usagi-sama…enough strength to protect every single thing on my own…"

Silica says, interrupting, "You're wrong." Kuro looks at Silica and she says, "The heroes, Kirito and Usagi, that you worship, the ones that saved us from SAO, wasn't alone." Kuro gives a look of shock and Silica says, "They told me that everyone who lived through SAO that succeeded in freeing it. Those on the lower and middle floors who supported us, those on the front lines who fought alongside us…Those precious souls at our side. It was also the dreams and wishes of those back in the real world that wanted us home safely also helped guild us back. It was through those people that came together that achieved our goal. That's what they told me. Remember, even without everyone else, the two of them fought side by side like brother and sister as well. That's why we can be by their side." As she looks up at Usagi, Silica says, "They aren't alone. They are never alone. We won't let them be. And that goes for you too."

Kuro says, amazed, "Silica…" Silica then sends Kuro a party request and after Silica's encouragement as well as a comedic situation where Pina used her healing breath on Kuro without permission, Kuro accepts the party request.

The giant shouts out, **"You share no special bond! Bow before my overwhelming might!"** The giant then launches an attack that knocks Silica back and causes some damage, but she manages to land on the ground in which she drinks a potion that she gets from her inventory.

Usagi shouts out, concerned, "Are you okay, Silica?"

Silica responds, "Yes, but that was my last potion!"

Usagi says, "We're also low on mana too. The boss has one HP gauge left!"

Lisbeth says, "No kidding, Usagi. It was sure rough of them to dump us into a boss fight after those slimes."

Usagi says, "The chest is the weak point, too, but the NPC is in the way, so, we can't hit him in the chest or we risk hitting her."

Lisbeth says, "Just what we need. A classic damsel in distress."

Usagi says, with a smile, "She won't be happy being called that. She might say: 'I could have gotten out anytime, you know?' Or maybe something like that."

Silica says, with a giggle, "Yeah." They continue to battle and Leafa was attacking, but Kuro 'butted in' in which Leafa had to help to defend Kuro.

Leafa says, "Whew! That was a close one!"

Kuro says, "I'm sorry. I screwed up the parry and you had to cover for me."

Leafa responds, with a smile, "No worries. Thanks for trying to help though!" The group then avoids a wide-area lightning magic attack and they attack while the giant while he is on his 'cooldown period' causing him to lose a significant amount of HP, but when he starts moving so soon, Leafa asks, "Why? He should have been stuck longer."

Usagi says, seriously, "They must have set it that when his HP becomes low, his cooldown period is shorter."

The giant shouts out, **"I praise you for pushing me to my limits! However, this is the end for you little insects!"** The giant unleashes a powerful attack that knocks all of them to the ground in which the giant attacks, again, but Usagi blocks the attack, however, her HP gauge continues to drop steadily.

Silica says, "Usagi!"

Leafa says, concerned, "Her HP is dropping fast and his combo isn't stopping!"

Lisbeth notices the NPC waking up and Kuro says, concerned, "Usagi-sama, you need to stop! You can't hold out! You have to run for it!"

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "It's all right! Help is about to arrive!"

Silica, Leafa, and Kuro look at Lisbeth, confused, and the NPC shouts out, "What are you doing?! If you're going to come all the way to rescue me, do it right!" Just then all of the girls are hit with healing magic.

Leafa asks, amazed, "Is this the angel's healing magic?"

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "Even back in SAO, she gave us help when she was sparkling with her eyes open."

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"We've got that overgrown pile of rocks now!"_

When the giant's attack is finished, Kuro says, "Let me stop him! Just let me…!"

The others reply in unison, "Okay. We understand!"

Kuro looks at Usagi and Usagi says, with a nod, "He's all yours."

Kuro gives a look of amazement and she then replies, "Thank you." Soon after, Kuro timely parries another attack and Lisbeth, Leafa, and Silica strike in which the last of the golem's health is gone causing it to crumble into data pixels.

It says, **"Impossible…How could I be undone…by the bonds…between mere insects…?"** The stone giant then crumbles into nothingness afterwards with the NPC free.

The NPC says, with a tsundere attitude, "Nice going, fairies. I don't recall ever asking you to save me. I have seen your bonds for myself. I suppose that it was worth the trouble taking the form of an angel. May your connection last long." Soon after, the NPC transforms from an angel into a Valkyrie and she says, "I now enhance your bonds with the angel's blessing." Just then all five of them, each, receives one Angel's Whisper ring item.

Usagi shouts out, excitedly, "We did it!" The five of them cheer and celebrate and soon enough, they are walking through the woods.

Lisbeth says, "Well that quest was a real butt kicker."

Leafa says, with a nod, "The difficulty was set super-high."

Kuro asks, "I have a suggestion. Why don't we exchange rings?"

Silica asks, "Are you sure, Kuro-san? You were doing this quest on your own to get a ring, right?"

Kuro says, "Yes. The reason that I was trying my hardest to beat the quest was to fulfill a promise that I had made to someone back in SAO back when I lost all trust in others. She gave me one of these…and then died in the act of protecting me from harm."

Usagi says, "Kuro…"

Kuro says, with a smile, "The thing is…She was so pushy about doing good for the sake of others I feel like she'd be happier knowing I used it for future friends rather than on her now that she's gone. That just what Rossa was like." Kuro says, nervously, "B-But I'm not going to force you, of course…" However, Kuro is surprised when Silica puts her Angel's Whispers ring on one of Kuro's fingers.

Silica says, "Maybe it was Rossa-san who helped you meet up. So that means that it isn't just the five of us, but the six of us!"

Kuro says, "Silica…Liz…Leafa…Usagi-sama…"

Usagi says, with a nervous smile, "Just call me 'Usagi', Kuro-san." Soon after, the group exchanges rings and Kuro gives out her real name as Hiyori Kashiwazaka.

 _ **Late May 2025, SAO Memorial Academy**_

Within SAO Memorial Academy, Serena, Rika, and Keiko are together in the girls' locker room as they prepare for gym along with a lovely young lady with long bright hair and brown-grey eyes. This young lady is none other than the real form of Kuro, Hiyori Kashiwazaka.

Serena says, "It was kind of shocking to meet Hiyori for the first time."

Rika says, "It is kind of shocking when a person that you don't know comes up and grabs your hand out of nowhere."

Hiyori responds, nervously, "S-Sorry about that. I just realized how closely you, Sili-I mean Keiko-san, and Usagi…I mean Serena-sama resembled your ALO avatars and I couldn't help myself…"

Serena replies, with a smile, "It is okay."

Hiyori says, "I wasn't able to go school right after returning from SAO so it's less of a transfer than just that I finally got in."

Serena tells Hiyori, "That's understand after what we have been through Hiyori-san."

Hiyori says, with a nod, "Well, if you could do it, I know that I could Serena-sama. Thank you."

Serena responds, nervously, "Could you stop with the 'sama' stuff? It makes feel that you are treating me like some kind of princess."

Rika whispers to Keiko, "Ironic since she is a princess after all."

Keiko whispers to Rika, with a giggle "Rika-san…" The four of them head out for gym class and Keiko mentions how her avatar's clothing is messed up in which she needs someone with a high tailoring skill to fix it up. Rika then mentions that other SAO survivor, one who goes by the avatar name of Ashley and a player that maxed out their tailoring skill, is playing ALO where Asuna ran into her in ALO and Asuna promised to set them up.

Serena says, "Ashley-san, huh? I guess that an experience like SAO didn't get to Ashley-san too."

Rika asks Serena, "Didn't you get your improved cloak from Ashley-san?"

Serena responds, nervously, "True, but remember, you and Keiko are the few other than Kazuto and Asuna that saw me without my cloak…Well, before the final battle with you know who."

Rika says, with a smirk, "So, this is the first time that Ashley-san gets to see your pretty face, huh? This is getting interesting."

Serena says, annoyed, "Liz…Rika, would you cut it out? Besides, you are seemly taking credit for Asuna's hard work!"

Rika says, "Hey, I can take credit for whatever my friends do! It's what sharing is all about!"

Serena responds, annoyed, "That's not what sharing is all about, Rika."

Hiyori and Keiko giggle at this and Rika says, "Anyway, we have tomorrow off. Maybe we should invite Suguha."

Keiko asks, "Yeah! Why don't we meet up at my house and log in?" Keiko says, with a smile, "I've always wanted to have a girls' hangout so we can log in together."

Serena says, with a smile, "I'll tell the others about my plans."

Rika asks Serena, "Are you sure?"

Serena says, with a smile, "I know that they will understand."

 _ **Late May 2025, Juuban District, Darien's apartment home**_

Within Darien's apartment home, he and Serena are together as Serena prepares to head out to Keiko's house in her own way so to speak.

Darien asks Serena, "You've only visited Keiko's house once, Meatball Head. Are you sure that you won't need help?"

Serena replies, with a smile, "I'll be just fine, Darien-kun. Remember, we gave special communicators to Keiko and Rika for emergencies."

Darien tells Serena, with a nod, "True."

Serena says, "Anyway, I'm glad that you and the others understand."

Darien replies, with a grin, "Of course we do. And personally, I'm glad that you are getting out with your other friends. Don't misunderstand, but all of us want you to do this more often."

Serena says, with a sigh and smile, "I know, Darien-kun. I know." Serena goes over, kisses Darien on the lips, and soon after, she transforms into Sailor Moon to take off to Keiko's home.

 _ **Late May 2025, ALO, Swilvane**_

Within Swilvane, the capital city of Sylph 'nation', Silica, Lisbeth, and Leafa, all three of them are wearing cloaks, are waiting with Pina, floating around Silica, and Usagi, her clothing seemly all right when they see a 'new player' float down.

This 'new player' is a female that looks a lot like Hiyori with long blue hair, bright eyes, long elf-like ears, and wearing starter female gear.

This female player says, in Hiyori's voice, "Silica, Liz, Leafa, and Usagi. Thanks for waiting. If you please, this avatar's name is Lux. A pleasure to meet you again." As Silica, Lisbeth, and Leafa look at her curiously, Lux asks, "Is something wrong?"

Silica says, a bit nervously, "Y-You talk a bit differently…"

Lux replies, "Huh? Oh, that's been my style in VR even before Kuro. Is it weird?"

Usagi replies, with a smile, "Not really. Everyone has their own style of play especially in MMO before VR."

Rika says, with a nod, "You have a point, Usagi."

Silica says, with a smile, "But you are as Kuro-san as ever. I'm relieved. Oops, I'm mean Lux-san."

Rika tells Lux, "Well, you definitely threw me for a loop when I met you in real life for the first time. I guess you're the type that takes on a new personality when you get a username."

Usagi says, "That's not surprising. Sometimes, people can be in MMO what they can't be in real life." Usagi says, with a sigh, "Through that can lead to more shockers than one…" Just then Lux yelps as Leafa lifts up Lux's skirt to look at her upper left leg.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"I could have shown I saw something…"_

Usagi yells out, while Lux is holding down her skirt in embarrassment, "Leafa!"

Lux shouts out, "Leafa?! What was that for?!"

Leafa says, nervously, "Um…I…"

Usagi tells Leafa, "I know that this is VR and all, but there is such a thing in manner even in here you know?"

Leafa yells out, "No, wait! That's not what I…"

Lisbeth says, "Yeah. Stop goofing around or I'll leave you behind."

Silica says, "Let's go fly to see Ashley-san." Lisbeth takes off with the others following behind with Leafa red in the face due to her actions.

Usagi says, "You are pretty good at flying, Lux-san."

Lux says, "It took me a while to get the hang of not using the controller."

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "Don't blame you. Silica could tell you stories."

Silica says, embarrassed, "Liz!"

Lisbeth says, looking at Usagi, "However, we know a twosome that managed to get the hang of it on their first day here."

Lux asks Usagi, "Really?"

Usagi tells Lux, looking at Leafa, "Well, Kirito and I had good instructor."

Leafa gives an embarrassed look and she says, "I just showed you on what to do that's all."

Lux asks, "You showed your brother and Usagi-sama how to fly?"

Leafa says, nervously, "Kind of, Lux."

Lisbeth says, "They had to get learn it that fast since they were on an important mission."

Lux asks, "Important mission?"

Usagi tells Lux, "Remember what you heard the three hundred SAO survivors that didn't wake up when SAO was done?"

Lux says, with a nod, "Yes." Lux asks, "Wait! You were involved with the 'ALO incident'?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Asuna was trapped in here with them and Kirito and I had to rescue her."

Lisbeth says, "It was a real shocker when Silica and I found out about it."

Silica says, with a nod, "After we got back, Liz and I heard that some of the SAO survivors didn't wake up for some reason."

Lisbeth says, "We didn't know that it was another nut trying to use VR for greedy purposes. It nearly destroyed ALO, but thankfully, the player based saved it."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Along with 'The Seed' created by the very man that created the horror of SAO and nearly destroyed Full-Dive VR with Sugou: Kayaba. It is ironic."_

Silica says, with a smile, "I think that it is great that the players helped saved ALO."

Lux says, with a smile, "I agree."

Usagi says, with a smile, "Hopefully, we can have some wonderful adventures here."

Lux says, with a smile, "I feel the same."

Lisbeth says, "Come on, slowpokes, hurry it up!"

Silica says, "Wait up, Liz!" The five female friends then fly off into the distance to meet up with Ashley, a fellow SAO survivor like Lux, Lisbeth, Silica, and Usagi, and hope for brand new adventures filled with fun and excitement.

 **The End…For Now**

Now, the full story of how Lisbeth, Silica, Leafa, and Usagi met up with Lux has been fully revealed! I think that this has been a nice little story to write about and I hope that you like reading about it, but don't worry, there are more stories to come, everyone! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	6. Story 6: Celestial Beginnings

Many of you have asked for this and now, it is time! It is time for the 'tales' of Suguha Kirigaya as Sailor Celestial in the 'main' **Sailor Moon Online** timeline. Remember, this is the 'main' timeline and not the **Hollow Fragment** timeline through both timelines are deeply connected with each other…*Cough* However, that's a 'tale' for another day. Anyway, as you already know, in the **Hollow Fragment** timeline, Suguha entered SAO and awoke as Sailor Celestial there causing her to join the other Sailor Scouts right away. But in the 'main' timeline, Serena/Usagi and Kazuto/Kirito beat Kayaba/Heathcliff on Floor 75 and ending SAO way before Floor 100 in which Asuna and 300 SAO survivors were trapped in ALO by Sugou who were later rescued in which Suguha 'awoke' as Sailor Celestial, but didn't reveal herself to her brother and the others until four months after she awoke. So, what happened in-between that time? Well, get ready to start to find out, folks! Before I start,I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 6: Celestial Stories 1: Celestial Beginnings**

 _ **January 22, 2025, Kirigaya Residence**_

Right now, we are within the Kirigaya Residence, where we find one Kazuto Kirigaya is lying on his bed and looks like he is sleeping with a helmet-like device over his head. This helmet-like device is known as a NervGear and this is part of Full-Dive VR technology which allows the user to 'transfer their consciences' into a virtual avatar in a virtual world in which it is currently being used for entertainment purposes in the form of VR games of all sorts. As Kazuto is lying down on his bed with his NervGear on his bed while his sister, Suguha Kirigaya looking over him and yelps as she sees him wake up.

Suguha says, nervously, "I'm sorry. When you didn't log out right away, I got worried!"

Kazuto sits up, takes off his NervGear, and he says, "Sorry that I took so long to come back."

Suguha asks, "Is it really over?"

Kazuto says, "Yeah, it is. That monster has been defeated and Usagi and her friends have gathered enough evidence put him down for good."

Suguha says, with a smile, "That's awesome!" Kazuto then sees Leafa's image poses over Suguha for a moment and he looks in surprise.

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Sugu, thanks for all of the help that you gave me and Usagi. You were a great help."

Suguha hugs Kazuto, surprising him, and she says, "You don't have to thank me. I'm just glad that I could help my big brother in his world." Kazuto hugs his sister and she blushes from the hug. Suguha asks Kazuto, "What happened with Asuna? Did you get her back?"

Kazuto says, "Yeah. Asuna is back in the real world. Sugu, I…"

Asuna says, "No way. You get going. She is waiting for you."

Kazuto looks at his digital clock on the wall and he says, "Yeah, you're right." As he gets to his feet, Kazuto says, "Sugu, I know that you love ALO for flying and all. However, with what's going to happen, it may suffer the fate of SAO."

Suguha says, with a sigh and weak smile, "Yeah."

Kazuto says, with a grin, "But then again, who knows? There are so many players that like it and since it isn't a 'death game', all you need to do is retool it and probably give it a new and better 'Grand Quest' and it can stay on."

Suguha says, with a grin, "Yeah." Suguha then asks, "What about yours and Asuna's friend?"

Kazuto gives a smile and he says, "Let's just say that she can finally spread her true wings and fly away leaving her 'real self' to finally and truly come home. She and I can finally and truly come home."

Suguha says, with a nod, "That's wonderful." However, the images of her 'dressed up' like a princess, the kingdom on the moon, and image of the silver haired queen and the blond haired princess other than herself in these 'dreams' pops into her mind, but Suguha shakes them off for now. Outside, Kazuto, wearing cold weather clothing, is pushing out a bike with Suguha following.

Kazuto says, "Wow, cold."

Suguha says, "Look, Kazuto. It's snowing." And it is starting to snow and she says, "Be careful out there. And say hello to Asuna for me."

Kazuto says, "Will do. And I can't wait for you to meet her and Usagi in for real." As Kazuto bikes off into the distance to head to the hospital where Asuna is, Suguha gently sighs, but she holds her head as the images appear in her mind again.

Just then a female voice says, "Do you wish to protect him and all that he loves?" Suguha gasps as she looks around and she then sees the grey cat with a silver crescent moon sigil on top of its forehead looking at Suguha.

Suguha says, "What a weird cat."

The cat then replies in the female voice, "And while you are quite the looker yourself, it doesn't mean that people won't say that you aren't weird."

Suguha yelps out and she yells out, "A talking cat!" Suguha shakes her head and she says, nervously, "Okay, I must have been Full-Diving too."

The cat then says, "I can assure that this isn't an illusion or a dream." The cat leaps onto Suguha's head and slams her tail into her cheek, hard, causing her to yelp.

Suguha yells out, "Ouch!" The cat leaps off Suguha's head and she yells out, "What was that for?"

Suguha then realizes that felt real and the cat responds, "My name is Trivia and I've been searching for you for a long time, Suguha Kirigaya. I've been watching you since your brother's sixteenth birthday when you visited his motionless form in the hospital. However, your power has been greatly suppressed and the time wasn't right."

Suguha asks, "My powers?"

The cat, Trivia, responds, "You have great power, my dear. I'm sure that you have heard of the Sailor Scouts."

Suguha responds, "Of course! Who hasn't heard of them?" Suguha then asks, "Wait! Are you saying…?"

Trivia replies, with a nod, "Very perceptive, my dear. If you think that this is a joke or gag, then why are you having the dreams about the mysterious kingdom on the moon or the strange princess and queen with the crescent moon sigils on their forehead?"

Suguha asks, with a gasp, "How… How do you know about that?"

Trivia says, "I know more about you than you can believe, my dear. I can completely awaken the power that's inside of you. The power that can help you protect your brother and all that he and you care about."

Suguha can't believe her eyes and ears, but she asks, curiously, "Really?"

Trivia says, with a nod, "I can, Suguha. However, you must know that once you accept this power, you will have chosen your destiny and your future will be set. With this power comes a great responsibility like with any Sailor Soldier, but there is a war coming and your power will most likely be needed."

Suguha asks, surprised, "A war?"

Trivia responds, with a nod, "Yes. And you will have a great mission. While you will be working and fighting with Sailor Moon and other Sailor Soldiers, you have your own great mission to perform, but I warn you, accepting this power and performing this mission will cause you to find 'ancient secrets' of the past, dark ones as well, in which I can guarantee you that you will never be the same person again." Trivia tells Suguha, "If you choose not to accept this, then I will never return and you can go on with your regular life. However, I believe that you will make the right choice." Suguha can only look at the talking female cat, Trivia, and close her eyes, remembering the images/dreams in her mind and what happened in SAO, from her point of view, and ALO, in which when she opens her eyes, there is a determined fill look in them.

 _ **January 23, 2025, Kirigaya residence**_

The following day, Kazuto and Suguha are together as Suguha is looking over Kazuto.

Suguha says, "I can't believe that son of a bitch!"

Kazuto says, "Don't worry, Sugu. Thanks to the Sailor Scouts giving me a hand, the bastard will be getting his justice."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Yeah, it was really lucky that they were nearby."

Kazuto says, with a grin while a bit nervous mentally, "Well, you have heard of them 'fighting in moonlight'."

Suguha says, "Well, you do remember that they have been going more public lately."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Yeah, ever since I came back from SAO, they have been dealing with more intense monster attacks lately. They have been getting bold."

Suguha says, "Not surprising since Sailor Moon has been missing since around the time that SAO started." Kazuto gets a bit nervous when Suguha mentions that and Suguha then says, "And then she makes a reappearance sometime after SAO ended."

Kazuto says, in a plain tone while mentally quite nervous, "Well, they did say that Sailor Moon had 'other important matters' to take care of." Kazuto thinks in his mind, _"Like surviving in a virtual 'death game' that her own beloved uncle trapped her and around ten thousand others in and living in a practical hellish prison of death for two years without the people that she loved along with few friends should be consider a MAJOR 'important matter'."_

Suguha says, with a nod, "Well, they did say that."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "By the way, Sugu, are you okay?"

Suguha asks, curiously, "Um, why do you ask?"

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Your face is wet, Sugu."

Suguha gives a mental yelp and Suguha responds, "I-It's nothing, big brother."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Sugu…."

Suguha replies, nervously, "Okay! Okay! I had a really bad dream that I remember."

Kazuto says, his eyes widen, "It must have been a really bad dream if it caused you to cry like that."

Suguha says, solemnly, "Yeah, it was a real nightmare."

Kazuto asks Suguha, "Do you…?"

Suguha replies, with a smile, "No, I'm fine."

Kazuto asks Suguha, curiously, "Are you sure?"

Suguha becomes a bit nervous, mentally, while trying not to show it as she says, "I'll be fine, big brother."

Kazuto is a bit suspicious, but he decides to let it go for the moment and he says, "Okay, Sugu, but if you need anything…"

Suguha replies, with a smile, "What I need is for my big brother to be more careful in the future."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "I'll try, Sugu."

Suguha asks Kazuto, "Are you planning to see her today?"

Kazuto says, "Yeah. She knows that I'm okay and it is going to be a while before she can start rehabilitation. She has been trapped in VR longer than me along with three hundred other survivors."

Suguha says, "She must be really weak."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "She is."

Suguha asks Kazuto, "By the way, is your 'sister-in-arms' going to visit her?"

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Yes, I believe that she will, Sugu."

Suguha says, "I really hope that she will be okay."

Kazuto asks, "I'm sure that she will. You seem really concerned about her, Sugu?"

Suguha responds, "Well, of course! As you have told me, she really believed that SAO was going to be an incredible 'new adventure' and it ended up to be an endless nightmare for her."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Good point, but I think that in a way, it has finally ended."

Suguha asks, curiously, "Why do you say that?"

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Call it a feeling. Let's just say that I know because with me that Kirito of SAO can finally 'sleep' and I can be Kazuto Kirigaya again. With Serena, she can finally have Usagi, the 'White Valkyrie', finally rest and she can start being Serena Tsukino again."

Suguha says, with a smile, "That's good to know."

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "Though once the knowledge of what Sugou was doing with ALO comes out…"

Suguha says, with a sigh, "It is for the best, big brother."

Kazuto asks Suguha, "Are you sure about that Sugu?"

Suguha responds, "To be blunt, big brother. I loved ALO for the reason of that I loved to fly. I just…can't put it into words."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "I can understand Sugu. I think that flying for you meant for than just being able to zip through the air with your own wings."

Suguha says, with a nod, "Yeah." Suguha says, seriously, "However, a lot of ALO players will agree with me that they rather be unwitting accessories to what that sicko was doing."

Kazuto says, nodding his head, "Thank you, Sugu." Kazuto says, "But to be honest, ALO is a good game. I think that it was just SAO. It was a good idea…That suffered from the greed and selfishness of others."

Suguha says, "The curse of SAO."

Kazuto says, with a solemn sigh, "I agree, Sugu. I just that 'cursed' didn't pass down to the whole of Full-Dive VR."

Suguha asks Kazuto, concerned, "Do you really think that it could cause the whole collapse of Full-Dive VR technology?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "I hate to say it, but it is possible." Kazuto says, "While it was just in the case of a few nutjobs, the Amusphere was supposed to promote that what happened with the NervGear and SAO was just a 'one-time thing' that VRMMO and Full-Dive VR, but with what Sugou did with ALO…Let's just say that the damage has been done."

Suguha asks Kazuto, "Do you think that there is something that can be done?"

Kazuto goes into deep thought and he says, "Maybe…"

Suguha asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Kazuto says, "It is just a thought, Sugu." Later on, we find Suguha in her own bedroom and lying down on her bed with a solemn look on her face.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"So, Full-Dive VR is on the verge of being destroyed, huh? Ironic. If this was the 'old me' around the start of SAO, I would have been glad that happened…especially since I, once, tried to do that myself."_ Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Just another series of sins that add up to my series of crimes. Kazuto's and Serena's dreams for SAO were turned into a nightmare because of 'him'. I'm surprised that sis doesn't remember the true depth of her 'connection' to Kayaba, but if she remembers now, it would rip open those wounds from SAO wide open. She would know that he remembered the true depth of their 'connection' on the day that she got the Silver Crystal back. Damn him! That fucking SOB! I can't believe that sis and I share 'royal blood' from him along with Serenity-mama!"_ Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Not like I'm blameless in this since I'm the main reason that he did SAO in the first place and what do you know? He got what he fucking wanted! It makes me wonder how cursed I truly am."_

Just then a familiar voice calls out, "Princess, are you all right?" Suguha groans and she looks at Trivia with an annoyed expression on her face.

Suguha tells Trivia, "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that Trivia?"

Trivia responds, "I'm sorry, my princess, but you are of the royal house of the moon…"

Suguha asks Trivia, "Ugh! What am I going to do with you?"

Trivia says, "While I believe that you need to process more time upon learning the truth about yourself…"

Suguha retorts, sarcastically, "Oh? You think? Remember my past life about how the same sicko that trapped my big brother was once my father in my past life as a princess, Sailor Moon is my 'royal sister', and the fact that my power and awakening was the main reason that he murdered four thousand poor people that wanted to have fun exploring a brand new world which was turned into a fiendish death game won't cause me 'mental distress'?"

Trivia says, with a sigh, "While you have a good point, the world is going to need you, my princess."

Suguha asks, sarcastically, "For what? To be the cause of my conflict due to the power that I possess?"

Trivia sighs and she tells Suguha, "Princess, your power is only a curse if you make it a curse. If you believe that you hold any responsibility for what your former father…"

Suguha tells Trivia, with an angered glare, "That man WAS AND WILL NEVER BE my father. He was just the ass that supplied the sperm to Serenity-mama to allow Serenity and I to be born."

Trivia flinches from Suguha's glare and Trivia says, a bit nervously, "Sorry." Trivia tells Suguha, plainly, "However, like it or not, the world is going to need Sailor Celestial once more. You are the Soldier of Reality and you are needed once more. Sailor Moon may have recovered, but her absence for the past two years have allowed evil forces to gain a significant foothold in which her guardians barely held on. Have you forgotten the phrase 'Evil win when good people do nothing'?"

Suguha glares at Trivia and she responds, "Never." Suguha then looks at the table in her room and she is looking at a pearly white heart-shaped broach with a rainbow colored jewel shaped like the Milky Way galaxy and four rainbow wings.

 _ **January 24, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

It is nighttime in Juuban District and one of the alleyways, a young woman is screaming as two powerful youma, looking like female muscular gangsters, are on motorcycles and spinning around the helpless woman.

One of the youma says, "Scream all you want! No one is going to help you!"

The other 'biker youma' adds in, "That's right! You are just dinner!"

The young woman screams out, "Help! Somebody!"

The first 'biker youma' says, "Ha! The Sailor Scouts have their hands full with our comrades, fighting day and night, even with Sailor Moon back to help them! There is no one to help you now!"

Just then a female voice says, "Then just call me 'nobody', youma freak!" The 'biker youma' turn around only for the first one to get cut in half before she is vaporized by an energy blast and the second one doesn't have time to react as she is beheaded before being vaporized as well. The young woman recoils in shock, surprised by what just happened, before the female voice asks, "Are you okay?" The young woman turns to the source to see a brand new Sailor Scout in front of her.

This new Sailor Scout had Leafa's hair color and hairstyle with a crown of small white feathers in the forward portion, but her eye color remains the same as Suguha's eye color, there is a rainbow colored Milky Way with a golden crescent moon sigil on her forehead, deep, full, and lovely shimmering pink lips, rainbow milky way galaxy-shaped earrings attached to her ears, a white cloth choker with a golden crescent moon sigil in the center, her sailor collar is green, she has a white colored bodysuit with the broach that Suguha took out in the chest area of her bodysuit, she has circular and fluffy shoulder pads that are green in color, her gloves are different from the other Sailor Scouts' gloves in which they are fingerless with green bands, she has a skirt that's green, silver, and rainbow colored, her boots are similar to Eternal Sailor Moon's high-heeled boots, but they have green bands with rainbow jewels in the shape of the Milky Way galaxy, and she has four rainbow colored large feathered wings. Attached to the right side of her skirt, there is a kitana like Leafa's kitana inside of a sheath.

The young woman asks, "Y-You are a Sailor Scout?"

This new Sailor Scout replies, with a nod, "That's right. Are you going to be okay?"

The young woman gets to her feet and she responds, "Yes, thanks to you."

The new Sailor Scout says, with a nod, "Good to know."

The new Sailor Scout then takes off into the sky and the young woman asks, "Wait! Who are you?!"

The new Sailor Scout responds, "No one really important." The young woman is left confused as the Sailor Scout takes off into the skies.

 _ **January 31, 2025, Tokorozawa**_

At the hospital in Tokorozawa, we find ourselves in Asuna's room, still looking pale due to the fact that she returned to her body just over a week ago, surrounded by Kazuto, Serena, our Sailor Scouts of Juuban, and Darien.

Asuna asks, her voice sounding still weak, "A new Sailor Scout?"

Serena says, with a nod, "We've just heard about her on the news, Asuna."

Kazuto says, "They don't know who she is either."

Asuna asks Serena, "Really?'

Serena says, shaking her head, "Not a clue."

Darien says, "All that we do know is that she is an Eternal Level Sailor Scout based on the description of the Sailor Scout."

Asuna asks Serena, "Eternal? Isn't that your 'level' Serena?"

Serena says, with a nod, "Yep."

Asuna asks, "Could that mean that she is just as powerful as you?"

Lita says, seriously, "No way! Serena has the Silver Crystal, girlfriend."

Trista says, "It doesn't mean that there aren't Sailor Scouts that could rival Sailor Moon, Lita-chan."

Darien says, "Sailor Galaxia is a good example."

Amara asks Trista, "Are you saying that there could be Sailor Scouts that rival Kitten in power?"

Trista says, with a serious look in her eyes, "And exceed her as well. Back in the Silver Millennium, there were quite a few Sailor Scouts that could have that power and potential."

Hotaru asks Trista, "Do you have an idea on who she is Trista-mama?"

Trista says, "I have my theories, but without actual proof, I can't say for certain."

Amara says, "We can't be sure that this person is a real Sailor Scout."

Raye says, "It could be some kind of trick."

Mina says, "Well, it seems like she wants to help." Mina says, "And also, her appearing only a nighttime isn't a point against her because remember, we used to do our work at night back in the 'old days'."

Lita says, with a nod, "You have got a point, Mina-chan."

Serena says, nodding her head, "Back in the early days, we always sit to the nighttime to perform our 'work'. We had a thing of trying to stay 'off the radar'."

Kazuto says, "From what I read, these days, you have no other choice, but to come 'into the sunlight'."

Amara says, with a plain tone, "No kidding."

Hotaru says, solemnly, "Ever since the start of SAO, our enemies got bolder and starts to attack in broad daylight and out in public as if they sensed that Sailor Moon won't be coming out to stop them."

Kazuto asks, "That can't be any kind of coincidence. Do you think that has any connection to what happened to us?"

Trista says, "We believed that while they didn't know the exact situation, they 'sensed' that Sailor Moon was 'out of play' and made their move."

Amara says, "Causing us never-ending headaches."

Mina tells Serena, a bit nervously, "Not your fault at all!"

Serena thinks in her mind, with a sigh, _"Don't make me feel any less guilty, Mina-chan."_

Asuna asks Serena, "How are you and the others holding up?"

Serena says, with a sigh, "Barely. These youma are way tougher than the ones that I fought when I first started as Sailor Moon and fighting against the Negaverse."

Raye says, "Says the girl that can cut them with twin swords."

Serena gives a nervous look and Asuna asks, surprised, "You wield swords now?"

Kazuto says, with a smile, "It seems like Serena's experience in SAO has somewhat 'upgraded' her Sailor Scout form."

Serena says, with a nervous smile, "Yeah."

Asuna asks, "Did you know that there were more of you?"

Lita says, "Not until we met Nebula."

Asuna says, "It must have been a shock to learn that she was a friend of yours."

Serena says, with a sigh, "Yeah, it was a shock to find Molly is a Sailor Scout too. It makes me feel guilty for growing apart from her."

Mina tells Serena, "Hey, girl! She told you that she understands."

Amara says, "It was shock to find out that she is one of us."

Hotaru asks Trista, "How come you never knew Trista-mama?"

Trista responds, "There were quite a few Sailor Scouts beyond us in the Silver Millennium, however, my knowledge of who they are now is limited if not nonexistent."

Michelle asks, "Why is that?"

Trista replies, "For various important reasons."

Raye asks, curiously and a bit suspiciously, "Which are?"

Trista retorts, "One is that levels of power that they possess and possibility that an enemy could find them before they are awakened. Trust me. Back in the Silver Millennium, they were Sailor Scouts that were far stronger than us and even have powers and potential that even surpasses Sailor Moon's current abilities."

There are looks of shock and Amara says, plainly, "And this Sailor Scout could be one of them. You know about powerful Sailor Scouts that could rival or even exceed Sailor Moon, even as she is today."

Trista says, "Correct, but my information about who they are reborn as is completely nonexistent for reasons of their own protection."

Lita says, "Something tells me that the one slicing and dicing Dark Agency forces doesn't need that protection."

Mina says, with a nod, 'That's for sure, Lita-chan."

Trista says, "That may be true, but for the moment, I am not going to go into theories on which Sailor Scout it could be even if she is familiar to me."

Serena says, "For now, let's not try to figure her out. It looks like she is on our side and she will reveal herself when she is ready."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I believe that Usagi…I'm sorry…Serena-chan has a point."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "It's okay, Asuna. You aren't used to the 'real world' again as Serena and I are."

Serena says, with a smile, "Give it some time and we're here for you."

Asuna says, with a smile, "Thank you." As we leave the group within Asuna's hospital room, what they don't know is that on the roof is that said Sailor Scout is standing on the edge of the roof and looking down towards the window that the room has before turning around and flying off at top speed.

 _ **February 1, 2025, Unknown area**_

At an unknown facility, the new Sailor Scout is flying over it with a solemn look on her face and she says, lowly and with a familiar female voice, "I don't know if I deserve to hold these powers after what I did to you…after letting my hatred and my anger take control of me. I don't deserve to be forgiven. Kami knows that, but I will do my best to make up for what I've done…Even through my sins can never be forgiven." The Sailor Scouts sheds a few tears and flies in which one of those tears lands on the roof where a familiar feline Digimon and familiar blue dragon Digimon are sitting on the roof.

The feline Digimon looks up and the blue dragon Digimon asks, "What's wrong, Gatomon?"

The feline Digimon replies, "I thought that I heard someone, Veemon."

The blue dragon asks, curiously, "You did? Where?"

The feline Digimon, Gatomon, says, pointing up to the sky, "Up there."

The blue dragon Digimon, Veemon, responds, "There. Could it have been a Digimon?"

Gatomon replies, "I don't know." Gatomon says, with a sigh, "I guess that I'm hearing things."

Veemon says, with a nod, "I know how you feel. Sometimes I think that I hear Davis and rush to see if he and Kari have woken up."

Gatomon says, with a nod, "Same here, but while their bodies have healed, their minds are gone and we are nowhere close to find them."

Veemon tells Gatomon, "We can't give up hope, Gatomon."

Gatomon says, with a smile, "I know, Veemon."

 _ **February 1, 2025, Odiaba District**_

It is nighttime in the district of Odiaba where we find Jadeite along with several youma dressed in military style gear leaping away through the rooftops in which Jadeite has a bag full of jewels in his hands.

Jadeite says, with an evil smirk, "We have the jewels. These pathetic humans think that these are nothing more than 'pretty bobbles'. They don't know what kinds of power that their crystal structures can create."

Just then a female voice says, "Good thing that I do." Jadeite and the youma look towards the source of the voice to see the new Sailor Scout slowly wake out of the shadows and into the open causing her to ask, "Remember me Jadeite?"

Jadeite's eyes widen and he says, angrily, "You!"

The new Sailor Scout responds, with a smirk, "That's right. I'm back, Jadeite."

Jadeite screams out, angrily, "You! Queen Serenity's even more wretched younger daughter!"

The new Sailor Scout retorts, with a grin, "I see that you remember me so well, Jadeite." The new Sailor Scout says, with a glare, "And I certainly remember you. You have some nerve to return after betraying my sister's boyfriend, who you were duty bound to protect, those centuries ago jerk!"

Jadeite says, with a sneer, "Endymon was pathetic falling for that sister of yours, Sailor Celestial."

The new Sailor Scout responds, "He is a better man than you. You can be one thousand times more powerful than him and only be one-sixteenth the man that he is." The new Sailor Scouts says, with a smirk, "It isn't surprising that you follow someone like Beryl. She had the brainwash him to get him to kiss his hand. Shows how much a hag she really was and how much of pathetic coward and weakling moron that you were and still are, Jadeite."

Jadeite tells the new Sailor Scout, Sailor Celestial, "Despite the new upgrade, your time as 'the ultimate Sailor Warrior' is long since over, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial responds, making a motion that says 'Come and get me', "Try me."

Jadeite shouts out, pointing to Sailor Celestial, "Destroy her!" The military style dressed youma create military grade weapons and prepare to fire on Sailor Celestial, but she quickly takes to the air and flies around in which Jadeite yells out, "Take her down!" The youma fire their weapons on Sailor Celestial, but she easily dodges their attacks with the greatest of ease.

Sailor Celestial shouts out, "Still the same coward I see! You are always hiding behind something or someone to get your way, you worthless peon!" Sailor Celestial then dive bombs right at the youma and easily dodging their fire as she does causing her to draw her sword when she gets real close in which, faster than the human eye and mind can process, she slashes at all three youma causing them to stop in their tracks. When Sailor Celestial returns her sword to her sheath, all three youma explode in massive explosion as they are destroyed.

Jadeite says, with a snarl, "You haven't changed one bit, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial says, with a grin, "Maybe you should give it up before you get your ass kicked like when we first met."

Jadeite responds, with an angered snarl, "How could I ever forget? The humiliation that you gave me."

Sailor Celestial retorts, "That I gave you? You were the one acting like a real jerk! You know how much Endymon lost face due to your stupidity! He knew better that being a ruler was more than strength alone jackass!"

Jadeite drops the bag of jewels, creates a black crystal sword, and he yells out, angrily, "Enough! I won't let you defeat me again, Celestial! Today, you die once and for all!"

As Jadeite charges in, Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, _"Never learns."_ When Jadeite swings at her with his sword, Sailor Celestial draws her sword and blocks the sword.

(Mighty Morphin Power Ranger's music 'Fight' starts)

Sailor Celestial and Jadeite then start an intense fight and their two swords are clashing causing minor shockwaves that cause the roof under their feet to start to crack from the sheer force, but then Sailor Celestial spin kicks Jadeite in the face causing him to stumble back, but he manages to recover from a swipe in which he swings at Sailor Celestial's legs, however, she easily leaps away from the attack.

Jadeite shouts out, strongly, "You won't beat me, Celestial!"

Sailor Celestial retorts, "Why do you, dorks, keep saying such things?" The two of them continue their intense sword fight and at multiple points during the fight, they also lash out with kicks, but they either block or dodge them as they continue to clash swords.

Jadeite yells out, strongly, "You are nothing! Nothing!"

Sailor Celestial says, with a serious tone, "You sound like an old man, Jadeite!" Sailor Celestial then jump kicks to knock Jadeite's sword out of his hand before hitting him in the face with the pommel of her sword causing him to get knocked down to the ground in which Sailor Celestial says, "Sorry, but I would be insulting old men everywhere with that remark. You sound and fight like a drunk hog."

Jadeite shouts out, angrily, "I've had enough!" Jadeite then leaps to his feet, gathers dark energy, and fires some kind of dark orb at Sailor Celestial, but Sailor Celestial gathers energy into her sword, spins around, and knocks the dark energy orb, which has turned into a rainbow color, right back Jadeite, causing him to scream as he is sent flying high into the sky.

(Mighty Morphin Power Ranger's music 'Fight' ends)

Sailor Celestial puts her sword away and she says, "Good riddance, but I doubt he will be gone for long. Jadeite is like a cockroach." Sailor Celestial then looks into the distance to see the other Sailor Scouts coming and she takes off high into the sky. By the time that they arrive, Sailor Celestial is long gone.

Sailor Venus asks, "What happened here?"

Sailor Uranus responds, "A battle obviously."

Tuxedo Mask makes his appearance and Sailor Jupiter says, looking at the bag of jewels, "Here are the jewels that they tried to steal."

Tuxedo Mask says, "Until someone stopped them."

Sailor Moon asks, curiously, "But who?"

Sailor Uranus says, "I may have an idea."

Sailor Saturn asks, curiously, "You do, Uranus-papa?"

Sailor Neptune asks Sailor Uranus, "You think that it is our 'new friend'?"

Sailor Uranus says, "Probably. I had sensed a 'wind' similar to ours."

Sailor Moon asks Sailor Mars, "You?"

Sailor Mars says, with a nod, "I did sense a powerful aura similar to our own, Sailor Moon. And when I say powerful, I could be making an understatement."

Tuxedo Mask asks, "She could be THAT powerful?"

Sailor Uranus says, with a nod, "Mars may have a point."

Sailor Venus asks, looking at the jewels, "Why would they become jewel thieves?"

Sailor Mercury says, having her visor and computer out, "These jewels have unusual properties that could be used to create incredible energy sources."

Sailor Moon says, "That's oddly familiar."

Sailor Jupiter says, with a nod, "They haven't changed a bit."

Tuxedo Mask asks, "Why didn't they stay around? They obviously saw fellow Sailor Scouts coming to assist, even though this person didn't need our assistance. But why would they leave when we arrived?"

Sailor Jupiter says, "Guess the girl wants to keep to herself."

Sailor Venus says, "Much like Nebula. Even though we know who she is now ever since she revealed herself to Serena, she has been keeping to herself."

Sailor Moon says, "Well, Molly has come to me many times to assure me that she has her reasons. And even though we did grow apart for a while, she is still my childhood friend. I trust her."

Sailor Uranus says, "As do we, Kitten. She has proven a trustworthy Sailor Scouts in all ways including battle. I understand her reasons. She may be a Sailor Scout of the Moon Kingdom, but she isn't one of your guardians…At least in the 'regular sense', Sailor Moon. She is more of an 'independent command'."

Sailor Jupiter asks Sailor Uranus, with a smirk and a sarcastic tone, "Talking from personal experience?"

Sailor Uranus glares at Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Neptune says, with a kind smile, "Uranus-chan, Jupiter has a point."

Sailor Uranus says, with a plain tone, "It is more of this Sailor Scout that concerns me."

Sailor Saturn asks Sailor Pluto, "Pluto?"

Sailor Pluto says, "As I have said before, Firefly, I have my theories, but from what I can see, my theories have gone down to quite a few."

Sailor Jupiter asks, "Mind throwing us a bone?"

Sailor Moon says, grabbing the bag of jewels, "Let's just bring these jewels back."

The others look at Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars says, "Hey, Meatball Head…"

Sailor Moon replies, "Look, I don't know who she any more than you do, but I have a feeling that she is here to help and she has her reasons, like Molly, not to reveal herself to us. She could have taken the jewels and something tells me that I doubt she didn't know what they wanted them for. She left them for us to take back."

Tuxedo Mask says, with a nod, "You have a good point." Tuxedo Mask says, looking at the other Sailor Scouts, "She could have taken the jewels with her, but instead, she just left them behind. And she easily got away from us. She could have easily gotten away with these. I think that gives us a clue to her intentions quickly easily."

Sailor Uranus says, with a plain tone, "Point taken."

Sailor Venus asks, with a sigh, "But this isn't over until she reveals herself?"

Sailor Uranus retorts, with a smirk, "What do you think Venus?" Sailor Saturn sighs at Sailor Uranus' reply and the group heads off while Sailor Moon glances in the direction that Sailor Celestial left for.

 _ **February 1, 2025, Kirigaya Residence**_

Speaking of Sailor Celestial, we find her returning to the Kirigaya home where she floats in front of the window leading into Suguha's room, she opens the window, and she floats in quietly in which she closes the window and locks it in which Sailor Celestial then touches the broach on the chest area of her uniform causing her to glow and 'revert' back into Suguha Kirigaya, who takes the broach into her hands.

Trivia asks, "A successful night?"

Suguha says, "Beat Jadeite into the ground to prevent the Dark Agency from getting gems that could have powered them up."

Trivia's eyes widen and she says, "I see. Now, Jadeite knows that you have returned."

Suguha says, "No kidding."

Trivia says, with a smile, "I take that you gave him the old 'heavy hoe'."

Suguha retorts, with a grin, "Do you really have to ask that question?"

Trivia giggle and she responds, "Forgive me, princess."

Suguha asks, annoyed, "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Trivia asks, sarcastically, "How many times will it take for you to give up on that?"

Suguha glares at Trivia, annoyed, and she asks, "Have you made any progress?"

Trivia responds, shaking her head, "No, not so far. If he is in the net, he has hidden himself really well."

Suguha says, "Well, keep trying Trivia. I don't need to tell you what kind of danger any piece of that ass is as long as it exists."

Trivia asks, "I don't doubt you, princess. However, how can we be sure is that what happened to him?"

Suguha says, "We know him better than that. I'm not going to let that ass just murder four thousand people and escape into the internet in which he NEVER faces justice." Suguha says, looking out into the night from her room's window, "Big brother…sis…Asuna…and so many others have been scarred...And that's just who was just trapped in SAO! There are others outside of SAO that were hurt by him and 'scarred' by him and his legacy!" Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Yeah, like I can talk! With what I had done to plenty of those people, I had made their 'wounds' even worse! They may be physically all right, but mentally and emotionally, they will never be the same. Even if I do this, I can never be forgiven for what happened, but at least, I might give them some peace even if they never know about it."_

Trivia says, "Understood. I will keep up my search. However, the net is growing every day even without the VR worlds."

Suguha says, plainly, "Don't remind me." Suguha says, with a sigh, "They could have been incredible 'new worlds' leaving to 'new adventures' and bring the human race closer than ever before."

Trivia says, with a nod, "Agreed. You can talk with people with video chats and such including on your smart phones these days and these people could across the world, but you are still far apart. However, in the virtual world, you are meeting with that person 'personally' despite it being only in a virtual body. The applications for Full-Dive VR technology is close to limitless."

Suguha says, solemnly, "And they had to use it for their own greed."

Trivia says, "It shouldn't be too surprising, my lady. Throughout history, inventions that benefit all mankind have been used for selfish purposes as well as destructive. Like it or not, it is a fact of life."

Suguha retorts, "Fact of life or not, it still stinks. And now, thanks to Kayaba and Sugou, Full-Dive technology may become extinct unless someone does something."

Trivia says, "Maybe your brother has a solution. He mentioned that when he and your sister met Kayaba in ALO after Sugou was defeated, Kayaba did give them something."

Suguha says, "I don't trust anything that ass gives them." Suguha says, looking like she is in deep thought, "However…"

Trivia asks, curiously, "However?"

Suguha responds, "However, the guy is so obsessive about the 'VR realm' then maybe…"

Trivia asks, curiously, "Maybe?"

Suguha replies, "Nothing, Trivia. Nothing at all." Trivia gives a confused look as Suguha walks away to head down to the living room and kitchen of her home.

 _ **February 1, 2025, Unknown location**_

Within an unknown location, Jadeite is discussing something with shadowy figures in which a holographic video screen is replying the fight between the three youma and him against Sailor Celestial.

One of them says, with a deep male voice, "She has returned."

Jadeite says, with a sneer, "Indeed."

Another voice says, with a female voice, "Don't get too 'flustered' Jadeite or do you want to repeat of your fight with Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars to happen again?"

Jadeite yells out, strongly, "I will NEVER allow that to happen again!"

The male voice says, "Then you need to focus or it may not be either Sailor Moon or Sailor Celestial that defeats you."

Jadeite asks, with a glare, "What was that?"

The male voice responds, "It is just a fair warning, Jadeite."

Jadeite then says, annoyed, "Excuse me if I don't take your warning seriously. And right now, I don't get why you aren't using the information on the identities of that Moon Princess and her two guardians. With what that man had done, we could easily…"

The female voice says, interrupting, "Yes, we could. However, I don't think that you realize the significance of SAO."

Jadeite asks, "What do you mean?"

The male voice asks, "Have you forgotten the connection between the 'setting' of SAO and Sailor Celestial herself?"

Jadeite goes into deep thought and he then says, remembering, "Wait!"

The female voice says, "It seems like you remember."

Jadeite asks, a shock of revelation going through him, "You mean that Kayaba is…?"

The male voice retorts, "None other."

Jadeite gains a sinister smirk and he says, "He used his youngest daughter and now, he makes his eldest suffer as well. Queen Serenity must be rolling in her grave."

The female voice says, "Don't think that Kayaba isn't a threat to us and he is gone, Jadeite."

Jadeite asks, confused, "What?"

The male voice responds, "Kayaba didn't commit suicide, Jadeite. He used his technology to successfully download his mind onto the network. His essence is now in cyberspace."

Jadeite asks, curiously, "Why should that matter?"

The female voice says, "Kayaba's plan should be obvious even to you, Jadeite. You fought the main reason that he committed SAO in the first place."

Jadeite gasps and he says, "That means…"

The male voice says, interrupting, "Correct, Jadeite. While his reasoning to the other players was indeed true, there was another reason to his 'madness'."

Jadeite says, "That means that he has plans for her."

The female voice says, "Indeed. They are plans that must be stopped."

Jadeite asks, "Does that mean…?"

The male voice responds, "Yes, it does." Jadeite then gives an evil smirk as he knows what the male voice is implying.

 _ **February 2, 2025, Juuban District**_

At Osaka-P, we find Molly Baker AKA Sailor Nebula working in front of a computer as her feline partner, Aurora, leaps up onto the desk.

Aurora asks Molly, "So, she has returned?"

Molly says, "Yep. It would seem so."

Aurora says, in an irritated tone, "Bastard. He already sent her to her grave in sorrow causing the end of the Silver Millennium and now…"

Molly says, "I know, Aurora. However, he has a plan for her."

Aurora says, with a nod, "Indeed, Molly. While he woke her up to 'shake up the cosmos', there is more to his plans than that."

Molly says, "He is hiding in the net somewhere."

Aurora says, nodding in agreement, "Agreed, Molly."

Molly tells Aurora, "I'm going to need to meet with her."

Aurora asks Molly, "Do you think that wise Molly?"

Molly replies, "He wants her to come after him, Aurora."

Aurora says, "For what reason is hard to understand, but we do know is that it involves her power."

Molly says, "That's for sure."

Aurora asks Molly, "Molly?"

Molly says, with a sigh, "I know what you are going to say, but I don't think that it is close to time."

Aurora tells Molly, "The princess is bound to find out sooner or later."

Molly thinks in her mind, concerned, _"I know, Aurora. I'm worried about what happens when Serena finds out the true depths of her 'connection' to Kayaba."_

Aurora says, "I'm also wondering why she is hiding in the shadows."

Molly says, "I have quite a few theories why and what you were just talking about is part of it."

Aurora responds, "So, you think that 'she' already knows even though she just awoke."

Molly says, with a nod, "Yeah, most likely."

Aurora says, with a sigh, "Oh dear. Then she is already falling into his 'trap'."

Molly says, nodding her head, "I agree, Aurora. I think that we need to talk."

Aurora asks Molly, "You are going to meet with her?"

Molly says, with a nod, "I think that it is about time that I meet with Serena's long lost 'royal sister'." Aurora nods as Molly continues to work on the computer which is full of files and stuff as well as a picture of Suguha Kirigaya herself.

 _ **February 2, 2025, Tokyo**_

On the roof of the government building that has the Ministry of Internal Affair's Telecommunications Bureau, Advanced Network Division also known as the VR Division, Sailor Celestial is looking down from the roof.

Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, with an intense stare, _"Who the heck are you?"_ Sailor Celestial then takes off from the roof and looking out of the window of his office in the building, we find Seijirou Kikuoka looking out said window with an intense look on his face.

 _ **February 3, 2025, Kirigaya residence**_

Inside of the small kendo dojo that's part of the Kirigaya residence, we find Kirigaya, in her training dogi and hakama, is practicing with not her usual bamboo Shinai, the 'sword' used in kendo, but a bokken, a wooden sword craved in the general shape of a real sword, usually a Japanese kitana.

Trivia asks, "A bokken?"

Suguha says, "That's right. I'm going into real combat, Trivia."

Trivia says, "True enough."

Suguha says, "Shinai is for kendo through it doesn't mean that it can't be used for real combat. In fact, kendo was practice for combat back in feudal times."

Trivia says, "True enough, my princess." Suguha gives an annoyed expression and Trivia asks, "Through isn't bokken used for kendo too?"

Suguha says, with a nod, "In some cases, yeah." Suguha continues to train with the bokken and using sword techniques and strikes that seem similar to Japanese style swordsmanship, but have a mixture of European style as well as style not belonging to either.

Trivia thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"It seems like your skill hasn't diminished a bit, princess. You are truly a mistress of the sword as ever before."_ Trivia thinks in her mind, narrowing her eyes and in a serious tone, _"However, will it be enough I bet?"_ Suguha continues to train extensively with the bokken until she stops in her track causing Trivia to look at Suguha confused.

Suguha says, seemly to no one, "I know that you are there. Come on out."

Trivia asks, confused, "Huh?"

Just then a voice says, "You haven't changed one bit, Princess Selene." Suguha and Trivia look to the source of the voice to see Aurora coming down from the rafters.

Trivia asks, surprised, "Aurora?"

Aurora tells Trivia, "Hello, Trivia. It has been a while."

Suguha asks Trivia, "You know each other?"

Trivia responds, "Aurora is just like Luna, Artemis, and I. She is the guardian feline of Sailor Nebula."

Suguha says, "That means…"

Aurora says, "Yes, we do. Nebula and I wish for you to come to Osaka-P tonight."

Trivia asks, "Osaka-P?"

Suguha says, "That's the jewelry store in Juuban that belongs to Serena's childhood…the one that she mentioned that she is Sailor Nebula."

Trivia says, with a nod, "Ah, yes! Now, I remember!"

Suguha asks Aurora, "What does Nebula want to talk about?"

Aurora says, "It is not my place to say."

Suguha says, "Never thought that someone like her would be the mysterious type…At least based on what Serena told me about her."

Aurora says, "There is more to Nebula than meets the eye and she isn't the only one keeping secrets from your 'royal sister'." Suguha flinches from those words and Aurora says, "No disrespect."

Trivia says, plainly, "Of course."

Suguha tells Aurora, "Tell her that I will be there."

Aurora says, with a nod, "Thank you." Aurora then takes off while Suguha and Trivia watch Molly's guardian feline until out of sight.

 _ **February 3, 2025, Juuban District, Osaka-P**_

Evening at the Osaka-P jewelry store has Sailor Nebula and Aurora waiting on the roof until they see Sailor Celestial, with Trivia in her arms, floating down in front of them.

After Sailor Celestial puts Trivia on the ground, Sailor Nebula says, "Nice to meet you, Sailor Celestial."

Sailor Celestial says, "Good to see you, too, Nebula. It has been around ten centuries or so."

Sailor Nebula says, "So, you have the memories of your past life."

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, "Wish that I didn't have some of my memories."

Sailor Nebula says, nodding her head in understanding, "I see. You do know everything."

Trivia says, "Pretty much, Nebula."

Sailor Nebula tells Sailor Celestial, "Then you know that this is what HE wants." Sailor Celestial looks at Sailor Nebula intensely and she says, "The reasons that he did what he did…"

Sailor Celestial says, interrupting, "I already know that." Sailor Nebula gives a slight look of surprise and Sailor Celestial says, with a sneer, "It makes me even more mad that this is the reason that he took the lives. He restarted the tragedy of the Silver Millennium again and stained our legacy with blood. Now, sis, and her Earth family including his own Earth parents are now hiding in shame in which what that meant before in our nation's culture."

Sailor Nebula says, "True, but we, now, have that 'evaporation' stuff…"

Sailor Celestial says, "It is only because the government kept Tsukino family's connection to that ass secret is the reason that they are not 'evaporating' now."

Sailor Nebula says, with a nod, "Serena told me that they are keeping that option open through Serena's father is highly against it. He is a strong man and it isn't surprising since he comes from samurai family in which they have nothing to do with Kayaba in all sense of the word, but he is also a realist too. He is keeping 'evaporating' as an option knowing what would happen if everyone knows that Serena's mom, Ikuko, is Kayaba's sister and Serena and Sammy are Kayaba's niece and nephew."

Sailor Celestial says, solemnly, "I know. They wouldn't give a darn that Serena is a direct victim of SAO too. That she was trapped in that nightmare like those that died."

Sailor Nebula says, "While their anger is understandable, blaming Serena's family is completely unreasonable at all."

Aurora says, "However, Princess Serenity's Earth father has great knowledge of the ways of the world and how people think due to his experience as magazine editor which means that he started as a reporter. He knows better not to take any chances."

Trivia says, "From what I hear, the government is helping in that regard. They aren't taking any chance and already have a 'support plan' in case the Tsukino family needs to 'evaporate' right away."

Aurora says, "Hopefully that day will never come."

Sailor Celestial says, with a stern tone, "Which is why I'm not letting him get away with this. Four thousand people are murdered and so many more lives are ruined in which he gets to escape into cyberspace to do who knows what? I'm not going to let that pass!"

Aurora says, "Celestial, this is what he wants. He has a plan."

Sailor Celestial says, "Yeah, I get it."

Trivia says, with a sigh, "She plans to 'trip the trap'."

Sailor Nebula and Aurora gasp and Aurora asks, with a sigh, "Why am I not surprised by this?"

Trivia says, with a sigh, "Yes, I know, Aurora. She is who she is and that hasn't changed for centuries as well as a reincarnation."

Sailor Celestial says, annoyed, "I'm right here you know? I'm getting a bit annoyed."

Sailor Nebula says, with a smile, "They mean that in a good way."

Sailor Celestial's right eyebrow twitches and she retorts, sarcastically, "Oh, really?"

Sailor Nebula says, with a serious tone, "Look, I understand how you feel. I'm really angry at what happened to Serena, but going off like that is just what he wants. He is…"

Sailor Celestial retorts, with a death glare, "Don't complement that sentience, Nebula."

Sailor Nebula recoils in surprise, but she gains a strong expression and she responds, "And that's what I'm talking about. He knows you all too well. You are just going to allow him to complete whatever plans that he has and where is the justice in that?" Sailor Celestial winches from that remark and Sailor Nebula says, with a sigh, "However, remembering you from my memories of the Silver Millennium, I know that you will go off anyway, but I will help."

Sailor Celestial asks, surprised, "You will?"

Sailor Nebula says, "To help keep you out of trouble." Sailor Celestial gives an annoyed look and Sailor Nebula says, "But right now, we shouldn't worry about him. There is another thing that I need help with."

Sailor Celestial asks, "Another thing?"

Sailor Nebula takes out a file and she says, "Take a look at this."

Sailor Celestial takes the file, looks through the contents, her eyes grow wide, and she says, "You have my support."

Sailor Nebula says, with a nod, "Thank you, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial says, with a smile, "No problem."

Sailor Nebula asks, a bit concerned expression on her face, "One more thing, Celestial. Do you think…?"

Sailor Celestial responds, with a serious tone, "No way! She has just started to recover from this whole experience with Asuna and the three hundred SAO survivors being freed from his prisoner hidden in ALO! What do you think that will happen if she learns this now?!"

Sailor Nebula tells Sailor Celestial, "I understand, but it might be better for her if she heard it from you rather than someone else."

Sailor Celestial says, with a groan, "Maybe…" Sailor Celestial tells Sailor Nebula, "But Pluto knows the truth and why do you think she isn't opening her mouth?"

Sailor Nebula says, with a sigh, "Point taken." Sailor Nebula says, "However, while you have a point about Pluto and Serena's 'condition', she will need to learn soon or the result will be…"

Sailor Celestial says, with a sigh, "Okay! Okay! I get it!" Sailor Celestial says, "When she is ready…"

Sailor Nebula says, "Anyway, let's focus on the mission."

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, "Right." Sailor Celestial looks up into the night's sky and she thinks, _"Sorry, Serena, I'll tell you and big brother the truth…someday."_

 **The End…For Now**

Okay, everyone! This is the first tale of what happened when Suguha was starting out as Sailor Celestial in the 'main' **Sailor Moon Online** timeline. Remember this takes place during the 'main' timeline: Namely **Sailor Moon Online, Shadow of Aincrad, etc.** In the **Hollow Fragment** timeline…Well, you already know how that goes. Speaking of that, I wanted to update **World's Song** last month, but I have been delayed. Hopefully, before this month is over, I will update that story. Okay, everyone, I hope that you enjoy and keep reading and review, but no flames please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	7. Story 7: Fairy Flights

Okay, everyone, once again, we are returning to the period of what happened between **Hollow Fragment** and **World's Song** in which now, we are telling the story of what happened when Suguha/Leafa returned to ALO after getting out of SAO around/at the end of **Hollow Fragment** story. You have gotten 'fragments' of it during my **World's Song** story in the form of flashbacks, but now, here is a deeper 'look' into what happened. Now, before I start, I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 7: After Fragments 2: Fairy Flights**

 **Note:** This story takes place in the **Hollow Fragment** timeline and takes place around during time of the **Epilogue** of **Hollow Fragment** to just before the start of **World's Song**.

 _ **Late March 2025, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Within the Odiaba District of Tokyo, we find the Digidestined of Odiaba and their Digimon partners dealing with a mass horde of rogue Digimon, but they also had problems with youma, minions of the enemies of the Sailor Scouts. However, not only do the Digidestined have a Sailor Scout of their own in the form of Sailor Sun, the Sailor Scout 'form' of Kari Kamiya, the Digidestined of Light, but the Sailor Scouts of Juuban including the newest one, Eternal Sailor Nebula, as well as Sailor Orion and Sailor Celestial, who like Sailor Moon currently, is in her Valkyrie Sailor Scout form. Valkyrie Sailor Celestial is currently fighting Blockbuster, a tall and very muscular blue-skinned youma wearing an outfit similar to what a pro-wrestler would wear, in which Sailor Celestial's swords have proven completely useless in which they are impaled in the side of a building causing Sailor Celestial to go hand-to-hand while the other Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask are dealing with the horde of other youma.

Blockbuster tells Sailor Celestial, "So, you are the big bad Sailor Celestial, huh? Ha! I pity little Sailor Scout! I'm going to bust you up see!"

Sailor Celestial retorts, "Like I haven't heard that before!" Sailor Celestial and Blockbuster unleash a series of punches in which when they clash, they cause shockwaves that shake the ground.

The Digidestined, who are aiding their partners as best as they can, are seeing this and Mimi says, amazed, "Look at them go!"

Tai shouts out, "Stay focused, everyone!"

Matt says, with a nod, "They can take care of themselves! They are the Sailor Scouts after all and these are their enemies! We need to help them by staying focused and make sure that no one gets hurt!"

MetalGarurumon, Matt's Mega level Digimon partner, responds, "Right, Matt!"

Shurimon, Yolei's Armor Digimon partner, says, "Indeed! We need to keep civilians out of the crossfire."

Yolei says, with a nod, "Got that right." However, at one point, Sailor Celestial continues to punch it out with Blockbuster, but then Blockbuster grabs one of Sailor Celestial's armored arms.

Sailor Celestial says, nervously while knowing what this meant, "Uh oh." Blockbuster then slams Sailor Celestial onto the top of the car, crushes the car flat in the process, and embeds her into the car in the process.

Sailor Moon says, seeing this, "No, Celestial!" Sailor Moon tries to help, but she is blocked by another youma which Sailor Moon manages to cut down. On the meanwhile, Blockbuster gives a look at Sailor Celestial, who gives a grunt and sneers at Blockbuster.

" **Desperado Blaster!** "

However, Blockbuster is hit in the fact by multiple energy bullets from Paildramon and she turns to face the DNA Ultimate Digimon, but it proves to be her mistake causing to be distracted in which Sailor Celestial uses this moment to send her flying with a compressed water sphere in which Blockbuster sky-rockets into a bus with a mighty 'crash'. Sailor Celestial immediately leaps back to her feet, shakes her head, and looks at the crushed car.

Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, _"I seriously hopeful that whoever owns this car has it insured."_ Blockbuster starts to remove herself from the bus only to get slammed by the car that she crushed slamming Sailor Celestial into it and causing a classic movie-style explosion in which Sailor Celestial floats over, but then Blockbuster runs out of the flames, smoking, but otherwise unharmed, in which the massive youma sends Sailor Celestial barreling down to the ground, head over heels, with a powerful clothesline move causing Sailor Celestial's helmet to be flung off her head and stunning Sailor Celestial.

Blockbuster turns to face the downed Sailor Celestial and she yells out, with a confident smirk, "You can't defeat me so easily, little girl!"

Just then Blockbuster feels someone tap her right shoulder and a familiar female voice says, "Excuse me." Blockbusters turns to face an annoyed VALKYRIE Sailor Moon and she screams out as she is vaporized by a powerful purifying blast from Sailor Moon at point blank range. Sailor Moon takes a deep breath as she floats down to the ground while Sailor Celestial shakes her head and gets to her feet.

Sailor Celestial says, "Thanks, but I had her."

Sailor Moon says, "Says the Scout with her face first in the concrete."

Sailor Celestial glares at Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial says, "Let's get back to work." Sailor Moon nods her head and soon enough, our heroes and heroines finish up with the battle and the Digidestined with their Digimon partners and the Sailor Scouts take a deep breath with the end of the battle in which the area shows significant damage.

Davis tells Sailor Sun, "You okay?"

Sailor Sun says, with a smile, "Just fine, Dai-kun."

Tai says, "Great job, everyone."

Sailor Venus kisses TK on the lips and TK tells Sailor Venus, "Easy, Venus-chan."

Sailor Venus asks, with a grin, "Is my boyfriend nervous?"

TK says, "Nervous that a reporter will see and wants to find out about me."

Sailor Mars says, 'bonking' Sailor Venus on the head, "And possibly figuring who Sailor Venus is."

Sailor Venus rubs her head, nervously, "Oh, yeah."

Sailor Moon asks Sailor Celestial, "You okay?"

Sailor Celestial says, "Yep. Let's finish up." Soon enough, Sailor Celestial starts to get to work by using her power to snuff out the fire from the explosion of the bus when she slammed the car onto Blockbuster.

Sailor Jupiter says, "She is motivated today."

Sailor Venus says, with a grin, "And I know why! ALO is coming back online today!"

Sailor Jupiter asks, amazed, "Really?"

Sailor Venus says, with a smile, "Yep!"

Sailor Neptune says, with a smile, "I should have known."

Sailor Moon asks, "Wasn't ALO the VRMMO created by RCT Progress that's based on…that game?"

Sailor Mercury says, "It uses the same Cardinal System as…that game, Sailor Moon."

Sailor Uranus says, "It was shut down temporary when Neo Moon and Nebula discovered Sugou's plans with it."

Sailor Nebula says, "Neo Moon and I discovered Sugou's plans for ALO when SAO ended, but that plan went 'off-course' when he tried that experiment to 'extract' players' minds from SAO into his evil lab hidden in ALO."

Sailor Neo Moon says, with a grin, "We also discovered much more about that sicko and there is plenty to keep him away for a long time."

Sailor Uranus says, "Good riddance, I say."

Sailor Venus says, excitedly, "Anyway, let's get to work!" Sailor Venus zips off to help in cleaning up with Sailor Jupiter smiling as she joins in.

Matt tells TK, "Your girlfriend is excited."

TK says, with a nod, "Yeah, she is."

Ken asks Izzy, "Both you and the Sailor Scouts used ALO as research to get us out of SAO right?"

Izzy says, with a nod, "Yes, we did. Through the Sailor Scouts had a better idea than we did, both of us had an idea that ALO had something in common with SAO."

Davis says, "More than you thought, Izzy."

Izzy says, "Yes. Now, we know that Sugou and RCT Progress took the core components of SAO to create their own original game through most that developed the game didn't know that Sugou had his own plans for the game."

Tai says, "His own EVIL plans."

Sailor Moon thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Just like the people of Argus…"_ Tuxedo Mask puts one of his hand on Sailor Moon's left shoulder and Sailor Moon looks at him to smile weakly as they continue on with their work, but plenty of them can't help to think about this information for various reasons.

 _ **Late March 2025, Tokyo, Kirigaya household**_

Returning to the Kirigaya household, Sailor Celestial teleports into her room where Kazuto, passing by, looks to see his Sailor Scout younger sister teleport in and touch her transformation broach causing her to 'revert' back to Suguha Kirigaya.

Kazuto says, "Sugu!"

Suguha says, "Hey, big brother."

Kazuto asks, "You okay?"

Suguha responds, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Trivia leaps down from a desk in Suguha's room and she says, "Your brother witnessed part of the fight that a bystander managed to get showing you getting thrown into a car and then getting clotheslined by a muscle bounded youma."

Suguha flinches and she asks, nervously, "You saw that?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Yep."

Suguha says, embarrassed expression and nervous tone, "I wish that you didn't see that."

Kazuto says, "Well, I already know that you won, but I want to make sure that you're fine."

Suguha says, "I'm fine, Kazuto. I might have a minor headache, but otherwise I'm okay." Suguha says, with a smile, "Anyway, I already have my 'therapy' prepared."

Trivia says, "Ah, yes. ALO is coming back online today."

Suguha says, with a smile, "That's right!"

Kazuto says, "Oh, yes. ALO is the game created based on the core operation system of SAO."

Suguha says, "That's right, big brother. It is 'my world' as you can say."

Trivia says, "Thankfully, since it Neo Moon and Nebula discovered Sugou's plans for ALO and his actions happened in SAO, RCT Progress and ALO didn't suffer major 'damage' since they managed to 'downplay' the 'significance' of Sugou's action for ALO which could have rivaled SAO…At least in terms of 'scandal'."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Well, thankfully, it didn't and I'm glad that RCT didn't suffer the fate of Argus. The actions of one madman and his small group shouldn't affect the whole company in which Asuna's father is a good head of the company."

Suguha says, with a nod, "It helped that Asuna and the rest of you convinced Asuna's dad to stay CEO of RCT. That ass fooled a lot of people with his act and it is the same situation with Kayaba. Heck, he fooled his own family." Suguha says, with a sigh, "I should know."

Kazuto says, "Sugu…"

Suguha responds, "Big brother, my role in SAO can't be denied. My history…my Silver Millennium history and my 'current history' are permanently linked with SAO. And that blood is also connected with me."

Kazuto thinks in his mind, with a sigh, _"Geez, Sugu…"_ Suguha then goes over to set up her Amusphere, she lies down on her bed, and she prepares to enter ALO.

Trivia tells Suguha, "Princess…" Suguha gives Trivia a glare on that note, sighs, and Trivia says, continuing without registering Suguha's glare, "Your Earthling mother may become concerned since her son was trapped in SAO for over two years, her daughter snuck away with a dangerous NervGear to drive herself into the infamous 'death game' that he was trapped in, and for three months, she was under the danger of losing both of her children…"

Suguha and Kazuto give Trivia a 'deadpan' expression and Kazuto asks, "You really did socialize well, did you?"

Trivia gives an annoyed look, Suguha smirks, and Suguha then says, with a smile, "I'll be fine. I have many reasons why I want to go back." Kazuto and Trivia looks at Suguha and she says, with a smile, "I can't really help to enjoy to fly, especially since we can fly as much as we want, and before Trivia says anything, those wings give me an 'air of freedom' that I don't have as Sailor Celestial. Those wings come with responsibilities…" Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"And a horrible price of blood."_ Suguha says, continuing on, "…like the rest of my powers. My wings in ALO don't have that kind of thing. I'm free to fly as high as want and as far as I want…At least that was and still is the dream especially since we can fly as long as we want now. But there is another thing: Now that I know that ALO was built from the same system that SAO was created from and being in SAO, even for that limited time, I can see how much the same that they are. ALO was what SAO…No, ALO is what SAO should and could have been, big brother. It makes me want to return even more not just for myself, but for those that died believing in the dream that you and Serena once had for SAO." Suguha words rang something in Kazuto and he can't help to smile at his younger adoptive sister/cousin.

Trivia thinks in her mind, _"And you refuse me to call you princess, my princess."_

Suguha thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Listen to me, little Miss Hypocrite."_

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Have a good time."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Thanks, big brother." Suguha then puts her Amusphere over her head, takes a deep breath, and she says, after closing her eyes, "Link start!" Suguha then goes limp as her mind is transported into the virtual world and Kazuto looks outside in which he can't help to smile.

Kazuto thinks in his mind, _"Sugu has a point. What do you think?"_ He then sees an image of his SAO avatar of Kirito and Kazuto looks to see his 'SAO self' smile greatly.

 _ **Late March 2025, Alfheim Online**_

Now, we leave the physical world to enter the cyber VRMMO world of Alfheim Online, also known as ALO for short, where we enter one of the player cities, Swilvane, the capital for the Sylph race of 'fairy players' of ALO of which Leafa, Suguha's ALO avatar is a member of. Speaking of whom, we find Leafa appearing in the center and she blinks a few times as she looks at Swilvane, which is also known as the 'Emerald City' for good reason.

Leafa says, with a smile, "I'm back." Soon after, Leafa starts to run off as other players start to log into the area and Leafa starts to stroll around the city in which she sees her reflection in the crystals and glass in the city causing her to smile. Leafa thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"It is so beautiful here. This is the promise of the 'virtual universe'. A chance for adventures and possibilities that people thought could only happen on television, movies, anime, manga, and…games before VR games. Heck, mom told me that VR was the realm of science fiction when she and dad were kids. Well, the future is now."_ Leafa's expression then become solemn and she thinks, solemnly, _"A future that he and I nearly destroyed. He because of his own greed and I…become I let my rage and fear take control and darkness to dominate my heart. This is the kind of place that the majority of the four thousand people that died in SAO believed in…That Aaron once believed in."_ Leafa thinks in her mind, _"And this is the future that I will protect. I won't let people like Kayaba or Sugou ever used this technology and these worlds for their own selfish gain ever again."_

Just then a high male voice shouts out, "Leafa!"

Leafa thinks in her mind, with a sigh and smile, _"Here we go."_ Leafa turns her head and looks to see a short a teenage Sylph male with yellow-green bob-styled hair and green eyes in which he is wearing hooded long-sleeved green cardigan, under which he wears a long dark green shirt covered by a dark blue vest, pair of brown pants with armor around his shins and a pair of dark gray shoes. Around his waist, there is a belt containing a sheath for a dagger.

The male Sylph says, excitedly, "Leafa, it is you!"

Leafa responds, with a smile, "No duh, Recon. Who else were you expecting?"

The male Sylph says, "Well, you just left so unexpectedly…"

Leafa tells the male Sylph, "Recon, I did tell you that I had important business IRL and I would be gone for ALO for a while."

The male Sylph, Recon, responds, "Yeah, that's true. But when I try to find out what happened, I didn't hear anything from you and I also found out that you didn't even come to kendo practices until recently!"

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, _"Creepy, Recon."_

Recon says, "I was shocked…"

Leafa tells Recon, with a serious stare, "As I told you and the others, Recon, I had important stuff IRL and I don't like it that you were investigating me."

Recon says, a bit nervously, "I was just concerned…"

Leafa tells Recon, with a stern tone, "I can take care of myself, Recon."

Recon says, with a solemn tone, "Sorry."

Leafa sighs and she responds, "It's all right." Recon gives a smile and Leafa says, "Anyway, I heard that things have been hectic while I was gone."

Recon responds, with a nod, "Yes. A few months after you left, we got an incredible shock when we heard that ALO was being temporary taken down. We found out that the leader of RCT Progress did some kind of 'illegal modification' to the game. A whole lot of rumors started because of it."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"I'll bet. However, I think that it is for the best that they don't know the full truth."_

Recon says, "Oh, yeah! The head of RCT Progress was also arrested and charged with over six thousand cases of reckless endangerment since he attempted to hack into the SAO servers and risked the lives of those that survived SAO so far!"

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"No kidding, Recon. The fucking freak should have also been charged with accessory to murder too."_ Leafa mentally shakes those thoughts from her mind and she says, with a nod, "Yeah, I heard about it from news and information that I gathered from the internet."

Recon says, "It was a real shock Leafa." Recon says, with a sigh, "Especially the fact that we found that the 'Grand Quest' was the 'illegal modification' and Sugou's selfish plan."

Leafa says, with a nod, "I know, Recon."

Recon tells Leafa, "I know that you really wanted to be the one to become an ALF and gained unlimited flying time."

Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly and annoyed, _"Thanks for reminding that all that I had worked and wished for in her was based on a lie."_

Recon says, with a smile, "However, I'm sure that you heard that the administrators have made up for that by giving us the ability to fly as long as we want from now on! We may not have gotten the ability to become ALF, but we got the ability to fly as long as you want regardless."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Yeah, I'm excited!"

Recon says, "I also heard that there are a lot of other features including stuff that's said that was part of SAO!" Leafa gains a curious look and Recon says, "We're going to have to look over the instructions to find out what's going on. Maybe you and I…"

Leafa says, interrupting, "I'm going to see Sakuya and see how she is doing. I'll see you later, Recon."

Leafa heads off and Recon shouts out, "Hey, Leafa!" Recon sighs and he says, "See you later." Recon then smiles and he heads off as he opens his menu. A bit later on, Leafa is looking over her menu and reading about the new updates to ALO.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"It is just as I heard. They've added Sword Skills from SAO. Not surprising that they can do that since ALO uses the exact same Cardinal System that SAO, so, it isn't a surprising that they can adapt SAO's Sword Skills to ALO. And by doing that, they've also changed the game greatly. Before, being a weapon user is tough without having at least a bit of magic at your disposal, but now, with Sword Skills, things have shifted back more in favor of weapon users from magic users. I should know since I used Sword Skills in my time in SAO and I know what they can do. Especially with these changes. Many Sword Skills aren't just plain powerful 'physical attacks', they have 'elements' added to them like elemental magic to add 'elemental' and 'mystical' damage to them. Thanks to this, magic user players don't have dominance in this game anymore. Weapon user players can now inflict elemental and mystical damage without the need of magic. Now, weapon users and magic users are on an even 'playing field'."_ Leafa thinks in her mind, with a smirk, _"This could make the game more popular than ever."_ Leafa then goes through the 'report' and she then finds something curious in which she thinks, _"Wait! What's this? Original Sword Skills?"_ Leafa then reads the next set of information causing her to gasp and nearly yell out, but she holds her tongue causing her to think, shocked, _"No fucking way! You have got to be kidding me! The ability to create your own Sword Skills? That's impossible! Hold on! It is impossible! You have got to create the skill WITHOUT the aid of the system! That's not possible! I should know and big brother would agree with me since Sword Skills need the assist of the system to make Sword Skills possible! It shouldn't be possible to create your own Sword Skills…Shouldn't it?"_ Leafa then goes into deep thought and she can't help to wonder about what she learned.

But then a deep male voice shouts out, "Leafa!"

Leafa winches and she thinks in her mind, _"Oh, great! Here we go!"_ Leafa turns to the source of the voice to a taller than average male Sylph with dark green hair with green clothes to match and heavy silver armor with a huge broad sword hung at his waist. He also wears a circlet with an amethyst on his forehead. This male Sylph has two other Sylph flanking him. Leafa sighs and she says, plainly, "Hello, Sigurd."

The male Sylph says, "So, you have returned."

Leafa asks, with a stern glare, "Is there a problem with that?"

The male Sylph, Sigurd, says, "So, you will be rejoining the party…"

Leafa responds, "Actually, no, I won't."

Sigurd asks, with a glare, "What?"

Leafa replies, "I had a long time to think about it, Sigurd. I have just come back to the game and I really think that it is time that I go out on my own as my own Sylph player."

Sigurd asks, with a stern glare, "Do you know how much it is going to upset the other members?"

Leafa says, with a look of protest, "You said that it would be okay if I joined only when I had the time and you also said that I could quit when I wanted to."

Sigurd says, "Yes, I know what I said, but you have been with us for a while now and everyone knows you. And if you leave, you are going to damage the reputation of the party!"

Leafa yells out, annoyed, "I'm not some item or piece of equipment that you can use, Sigurd!"

Sigurd asks, surprised, "What?"

Leafa responds, strongly, "You heard me, Sigurd! I'm starting to believe that Recon was right about you! You were just using me just because I kicked your ass and cut into your stupid pride! There is a reason that I'm known as one of the 'Five Great Sylphs', buster! You only took me since I kicked your butt at the last tournament that I practiced in and you only took me on to save your precious reputation! Well, guess what? Players aren't pieces of equipment or item that you can use, abuse, and discard just like that Sigurd!"

Sigurd yells out, irritated, "How dare…?!" Sigurd moves to draw his sword, but he and his 'guards' gasp in shock when quick as a blur, Leafa's kitana-like sword is pointed at Sigurd's neck.

Leafa tells Sigurd, her eyes narrowing dangerously, "Just try it, Sigurd. I may have been gone from ALO for a while, but I haven't gotten weaker. Quite the opposite in fact. ALO is a skill-based game, not a level based game, Sigurd. And trust me, I've got a few new skills to use." Leafa looks at Sigurd's two guards and she asks, in a dangerous tone, "Do you, two, want to try anything?" The two guards shake their heads and Sigurd just sneers at them.

Sigurd thinks in his mind, _"Cowards."_

Just then a familiar female voice yells out, "Sigurd!" Everyone looks to see none other than Haruka, Amara's virtual avatar, and Makoto, Lita's virtual avatar, walk over in their 'ALO forms'.

Makoto's ALO avatar is that of a Sylph that looks a lot like Leafa expect that her hair is leaf green with the bow being pink in color, deep, full, and lovely pink lips, with her clothing looking a lot like Leafa's clothing, but it is light leaf green where Leafa's outfit is dark green and pink where it is white on Leafa's outfit. She also is wearing a pair of high-heeled ankle boots and she has no sword strapped to her waist.

Haruka's ALO avatar is that of a tall Sylph female with short golden blond hair, green-brown eyes, deep, full, and gorgeous pink lips, golden loop earrings in her ears, and she is wearing a tight fitting brown shirt with long sleeves, a silver armored breast-plate over the shirt, black armored shoulder pads, elbow pads, wristbands, black fighting gloves over her hands, greenish-brown baggy pants, and black combat boots on her feet. Around her waist, there is a black belt for a sheath for a short sword similar to her Space Sword as Sailor Uranus.

One of Sigurd's guards says, shocked, "Lady Makoto! Lady Haruka!"

Haruka tells them, with a deadly glare, "Beat it!" The two guards run for their lives and Sigurd sneers as this as Leafa puts her sword away.

Sigurd says, sternly, "How dare you scare my guards? You saw what she did…!"

Makoto tells Sigurd, "Oh, yeah, we did. And we saw the WHOLE thing, Sigurd. It is our first day back in ALO and we find you causing trouble."

Haruka tells Sigurd, "Do we need to talk to Sakuya about this?"

Sigurd's right eyebrow twitches, he clenches his virtual teeth in his virtual mouth, and he responds, "No." Sigurd then walks away, but not before glaring at Leafa before he is out of sight.

Makoto tells Leafa, with a smile, "First day and you are making waves, girl."

Leafa responds, "I didn't mean to." Leafa asks Makoto and Haruka, "What are you doing here?"

Makoto responds, with a smirk, "What do you mean by that? We are ALO players too."

Leafa replies, "I know that and I'm not surprised that you are here, Makoto." Leafa looks at Haruka and Leafa says, a bit nervously, "It is just well…"

Haruka says, with a glare and smirk, "Well, believe it or not, I like playing this game much of the same reasons as you do. I am the Sailor Scout of Wind after all."

Makoto tells Haruka, sarcastically, "Hey, Haruka, I don't think that they heard you at the World Tree."

Haruka glares at Makoto for a second and Haruka tells Leafa, "Actually, your 'royal sister' wanted us to come here and it isn't because of you."

Leafa says, with a sigh, "Let me guess: The updates." Makoto and Haruka nod and Leafa says, with a sigh, "The Amusphere may have been based on the NervGear, but there are so many safety features that another event like SAO could ever happen."

Haruka says, "True, but kitten is also worried that since Sugou had planned to use ALO for such sinister purposes…"

Leafa says, "I doubt that anything of his 'influence' is left in ALO now."

Makoto says, with a nod, "We figured that, but you know how Serena is."

Leafa responds, with a nod, "Can't really blame her."

Makoto says, with a smile, "I'm sure that Serena hasn't lost faith in 'this world'."

Haruka says, nodding her head, "Kitten is going to need a bit of time." Leafa smiles and she nods her head in agreement.

Makoto says, "Anyway, we should read over what kind of skills that we have."

Leafa says, "Good idea."

Haruka says, "I don't see why. We have experience from you-know-where." Leafa, Makoto, and Haruka look over their skills and Leafa gasps in shock when she looks over her stats causing Makoto and Haruka to look at her.

Makoto asks, "Something wrong?"

Leafa says, not focusing on Makoto and Haruka at the moment, "No way…"

Haruka says, looking around, "We should take this somewhere private." Makoto nods in agreement and Makoto and Haruka, without triggering any harassment code violations, escorts Leafa away to a private area.

After making sure that there is no one, Makoto asks Leafa, "What has gotten you so spooked girl?"

Haruka tells Leafa, "Can you show us your status screen?" Leafa nods her head and she makes her screen visible in which she points one part causing Makoto's and Haruka's eyes to widen where they see on the list of skills that Leafa, there is none other than 'Duel Wielding' listed on it.

Makoto says, "Time out! But that's…!"

Leafa says, with a nod, "I know! Only my big brother had it in SAO and Serena was only able to wield it since she had the Mimic skill!"

Haruka says, "With Davis due to him having his 'Sword Emperor' skill."

Makoto says, "But they are SAO skills…!"

Haruka says, "Remember, ALO is based off the same system as SAO and they just added SAO sword skills, with minor 'variations' and 'additions', into ALO."

Leafa says, "Yeah, but if them not filtering them is the case, I shouldn't have Duel Wielding!"

Haruka goes into deep thought and Makoto asks her, "Do you have an idea?"

Haruka replies, "I may, but let's test this out first. Let's go out into the field and see if Leafa can use those skills." Haruka then says, as an afterthought, "But first, we should make sure that we check our items and equipment. From what we saw, our skills and stats that we gained from our three months in SAO has been moved onto our ALO data which is most likely due to the fact that we used our ALO data to get into SAO with our 'hack'."

Leafa says, "It must have been quite a bit of work to get into SAO."

Haruka says, "It took over two years, Leafa." Leafa nods her head and the three of them look over their equipment and items in which they found that they had item and stuff from SAO, but none of them would 'work' in ALO, so, they immediately dumped them to make sure that the error detection didn't find them.

( **Later on; Elsewhere** )

In one of the areas near Swilvane, Makoto and Haruka are looking on as Leafa, using her own sword and one borrowed from Haruka, fights against one of the monsters in which she uses **Double Circular** , the two hit combo attack of the Duel Wielding Sword Skill, against her opponent and since the monster wasn't too powerful, it was defeated instantly and shattered into hundreds of data pixels.

Makoto says, "That was Duel Wielding all right."

Haruka says, "That was pretty obvious, Makoto."

Leafa says, using the game system to return the sword that she borrowed from Haruka, "But I still don't get how I got it."

Haruka responds, "I think I do. The battle at the Ruby Palace."

Makoto then says, remembering, "Oh, yeah! She used two Keyblades that she combined into one against Kayaba!"

Leafa says, "Whoa! Hold on a minute! My Keyblades are the 'real deal'! I don't see why that gets me my big brother's Unique Skill over here despite the games being so 'compatible'."

Haruka says, "We would have to go to Ami…Mizuno for the details."

Leafa says, "Hold on!" Haruka and Makoto look at Leafa and she asks, "Could you not tell big brother or Serena about this development?"

Haruka and Makoto give a surprise look and Haruka says, with a nod of understanding, "I get it. You don't want to worry them."

Leafa says, with a sigh, "Yeah, they already have a lot on their plate and they just starting to get back to 'regular lives' after recovering from SAO...At least physically anyway."

Haruka and Makoto look at each other and Makoto says, with a kind smile, "All right. I'm sure that we can do that."

Leafa asks, curiously, "Really?"

Haruka says, with a nod, "You could order us not to do so and we would have to obey. We have to follow the orders of the members of the Moon Kingdom royal family and you are one of them."

Leafa says, "Well, so is Serena. And also, Serena is the head of the family and while I'm of an 'equal station', it is because of that she can override that order."

Haruka asks, with a smile, "Can't override what she doesn't know, right?"

Makoto asks Haruka, a bit annoyed, "Really?"

Leafa says, "I really don't want to order you…"

Makoto says, with a smile, "Easy, girl. We understand."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Thank you."

Haruka says, "It is no problem, Leafa."

Makoto tells Leafa, "Anyway, Leafa, did you see about this stuff about 'Original Sword Skills'?"

Leafa responds, "I don't see how it can be used much. Without assistance from the system, you can't perform these skills. We learn that from our time in SAO."

Makoto tells Leafa, "I don't know girlfriend. You were pretty quick without the Sword Skills especially during your big match with you know who."

Leafa says, "That's…"

Haruka tells Leafa, with a grin, "Why not give a try Leafa?"

Leafa asks, surprised, "What?"

Makoto says, with a smile, "Yeah, you have a point about Sword Skills, Leafa. However, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't give it a try. Who knows? It might work since you have your memories as an elite swordswoman back during the Silver Millennium added to your experiences in SAO and here in ALO."

Leafa says, with an accusing glance, "It would be the same for you, two." Leafa tells Haruka, with a glare, "And especially for you since you are a swordswoman with your Space Sword."

Makoto tells Haruka, "She has got you there." Haruka gives an annoyed glare and smirk at Makoto. Makoto tells Leafa, "But this is VR after all. There are possibilities." Leafa can't help to take those words to heart and can't help to wonder.

( **A good time afterwards; Returning to Swilvane** )

Entering back into the main city of the Sylph players of ALO, Leafa is inside of the main castle of the city where she is in the office where she is talking to a female Sylph player.

The Sylph female is one with an excessively tall figure, with glossy, dark green hair so dark that it is nearly black hanging down her back, white skin, almond eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin lips. Her attire consists of Japanese style clothing including a leaf green kimono with a katana that hangs from her obi. Her feet clad in high crimson clogs peek out from beneath the hem of her kimono.

The Sylph female says, with a smile, "It is nice to see you again, Leafa."

Leafa tells the Sylph female, "It is good to see you, too, Sakuya."

The Sylph female, the leader of the Sylph players, Sakuya, responds, "It was quite a surprise when you left us and ALO for a time."

Leafa says, a bit nervously, "Well, I did say that I had my reasons and gave notice."

Sakuya responds, with a nod, "Yes, you did, but it was still a surprise." Sakuya tells Leafa, with a smile, "However, you did give your reasons and I understand you had your reasons. Important reasons if you had to leave us for so long."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"You have no idea, Sakuya."_

Sakuya says, "Anyway, much has changed in ALO since you have been away."

Leafa says, with a nod, "I've heard Sakuya."

Sakuya says, nodding her head in understand, "You may not have heard everything, Leafa. What you have heard is that ALO was undergone a series of shut downs starting in late January before shutting down completely in early February."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"In order to rework ALO and remove Sugou's 'influence' from the game."_

Sakuya says, "The shutdown was explained by RCT Progress is that there was 'illegal tampering' by the now former head of RCT Progress and he has been fired as well as arrested for reckless endangerment due to the fact that he tampered the SAO servers endangering the lives of those that survived SAO up to the point that he tampered with servers."

Leafa asks, acting surprised, "Really?"

Sakuya says, with a nod, "Yes. And that he has led to A LOT of rumors, Leafa. Including a few that he was trying to turn this into a 'second Sword Art Online'."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"I don't know about that, but it was something just as horrible, Sakuya. However, it is best that you don't know."_ Leafa says, with a smile, "Come on, Sakuya! That's not possible! The Amusphere was designed to never allow something like SAO happen again."

Sakuya says, with a nod, "True. However, the Amusphere was designed to prevent something like SAO from happening again, but it was designed to prevent Full-Dive technology from causing PHYSICAL harm to a person like the NervGear could. However, it is said that the Amusphere may not be able to prevent 'mental and emotional damage'."

Leafa asks, sounding shocked, "What? Sakuya, are you talking about 'mind control' or 'brainwashing'?"

Sakuya says, with a warm smile, "Yes, it does sound silly."

Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Not as much as you think, Sakuya."_

Sakuya tells Leafa, "Anyway, I hear that you've had trouble with Sigurd."

Leafa asks, surprised, "How did you know?"

Sakuya says, "After I had logged in today, Recon came and told me that he saw you confronting Sigurd and the instant that he shown intent to draw his sword, Recon was about to leap in when, in the next instant, he saw your sword at his neck."

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, _"Ugh! I really need to talk to Recon."_

Sakuya tells Leafa, with a sigh, "I have to say that I'm not surprised by this. Sigurd seems so irritated lately."

Leafa asks, "Irritated?"

Sakuya tells Leafa, "My guess is that it is the state of things. He can't stand that we have fallen behind the Salamanders. Power is important to a man like Sigurd. Not just his abilities and character stats, but also as a player. He craves power."

Leafa thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Uh oh."_ Leafa tells Sakuya, nervously, "Sakuya, are you sure that you should…?"

Sakuya says, with a smile, "There is a saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer."

Leafa says, with a nod, "That's true, but you need to be careful how close you keep them."

Sakuya says, with a smile, "I'm sure that I will be okay, Leafa. Especially with you, Makoto, and Haruka back."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"I hope so, Sakuya."_

 _ **April 1, 2025,**_ _ **Tokyo, Kirigaya household**_

Back in the Kirigaya household, we find Suguha, in her training hakama and bamboo training sword in her hands, is practicing her form with the assistance of a training dummy and performing the classic stances and moves of kendo. She is looking at the training dummy as she continues to practice and starts to make kendo style sword strikes, but not ones found in training manuals or found in Japanese 'sword schools'.

When Suguha stops practicing, she takes a deep breath and she says, with a sigh, "You should really know how to knock big brother." Suguha then looks at the source to see her step-brother/cousin, Kazuto Kirigaya, coming into the room.

Kazuto says, with a smirk, "I must be losing my touch."

Suguha replies, with a smile, "I'm actually getting better."

Trivia comes into the room and she says, "Actually, princess, you were one of the greatest warriors of the Silver Millennium. It wasn't just your powers that made you one of the most powerful Sailor Scouts, but your abilities on the battlefield. You were born and trained to be an elite Senshi and you were and, to me, still are one of the best that there are and will be."

Suguha says, sarcastically, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Anyway, what is this about you training with ninjas?"

Suguha looks at Kazuto with a surprised look and she says, with a sigh, "I have to talk with Trista."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Don't blame her. I had wondered where you were going today."

Suguha says, with a sigh, "I see. So, you also know about Serena."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "I also got the story from Darien too. It is why I contacted Trista in the first place."

Suguha says, "Look, big brother…"

Kazuto replies, interrupting, "Easy, Sugu. I know that you are preparing for the future, but I can't help to be concerned about you. Even though you were just there for three months, you are an SAO survivor in many shapes and fashions like the rest of us, Sugu."

Suguha says, with a sigh and sarcastic tone, "Lucky me." Suguha then starts to put the training equipment away while both Kazuto and Trivia look at her in concern.

 _ **April 1, 2025,**_ _ **Alfheim Online, Swilvane**_

Returning to the city of Swilvane in the VRMMO world of ALO, Leafa is in front of a weapon's shop and she is looking at a sword.

Just then Makoto's voice booms, "Hey, girl!" Leafa looks towards the source of Makoto's voice to see Makoto and Haruka coming along with Mizuno, Michiru, Setsuna, and Tomoe.

Mizuno's ALO avatar is an Undine with short light blue hair, blue eyes, lovely and full blue lips, elf-like ears to give her a 'cute female look' and wearing an aqua-blue open kimono with slits in the legs area to show white stockings and brown sandals on her feet.

Michelle's ALO avatar, Michiru, is an Undine female with wavy blue hair that falls only just past her shoulders, deep blue eyes, perfectly colored ruby red lips, and she is wearing an aqua-blue headpiece with silver wings on each side, on her torso she wears a sky-blue bikini top breastplate with choker on her neck, she has an long armored skirt that goes up to the bottom of her navel and down three-quarters of her thighs, there are white armored arm-guards going from her wrists to just below her shoulder blades around her arms, and black thigh-high armored high-heeled boots with leg-guards and on her legs with wings on the side of each ankle. In her hands, she has a silver trident.

Tomoe's ALO avatar is that of an Imp that looks a lot like her as her real-life self as Hotaru Tomoe and she is wearing an outfit similar to Asuna's Knights of the Blood outfit expect that anywhere that it was white, it is violet on this player's outfit, she has no stockings on, and she is wearing violet knee-high high-heeled boots with three-inch stiletto heels. And strapped to her back is a scythe weapon similar to Sailor Saturn's Silent Glaive.

Setsuna's ALO avatar is an Spriggan female with long flowing black hair that reaches to her kneecaps behind her back tied in her classic hairstyle with a bun, violet eyes, deep, plump, and gorgeous dark pink lips, elf-like ears, and she is wearing an outfit similar to her Sailor Scout outfit expect instead of a bow with a heart jewel, she has black chest armor, black armored shoulder pads and kneepads, she has black armored kneepads, and she has a dark green staff with a dark ruby red orb on top.

Leafa says, "Oh, hey!"

Setsuna says, with a smile, "Hello, Leafa."

Leafa says, "Nice to see you…Or maybe I should say, nice to meet you for the first time here."

Tomoe says, with a smile, "Oh, yes. Other than Makoto and Haruka, we never met in here."

Haruka says, looking around, "Maybe we should take this privately." Everyone looks around and they see plenty of the other players in the city focused on them.

Leafa says, nervously, "Oh, yeah. You, girls, are 'Eight Nymphs of ALO'."

Michiru says, with a smile, "You shouldn't sell yourself short, Leafa. You are one of the 'Five Great Sylphs' after all."

Leafa says, nervously, "Yeah…" Soon enough, the group of players head off while they are discussing current events in ALO in which one topic catches Leafa's interest. Leafa asks, "Really?"

Makoto tells Leafa, "This is supposed to be secret. Back when the 'Grand Quest' was the 'main quest' of ALO, Sakuya and Alicia Rue have been discussing an alliance where the Sylphs and Cait Sith help each other complete the 'Grand Quest' and after that, the other helps in the completion of the second 'Grand Quest' for the race that didn't get the first 'Grand Quest'."

Haruka says, "We know this because we are part of Sakuya's cabinet and Minako-chan is part of Alicia's cabinet."

Leafa says, "But with the 'Grand Quest' being a big fake and all of us able to fly for as long as we want, I'm not sure there is a point despite how close the Sylphs and Cait Sith are."

Setsuna says, "Actually, there is a point."

Leafa asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Haruka retorts, "Have you forgotten the Salamanders?"

Leafa says, with a nod of understanding, "Ah, good point. They are the strongest group, now, and what they did to get there, the other races should be so careful." Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Sakuya did mention about Sigurd being irritated by this…Speaking of the rat in a fairy's 'clothing', I haven't seen him all day…Recon for that matter too."_

Michiru asks Leafa, "Is something wrong?"

Leafa snaps out of her thoughts and she responds, "Oh, nothing. I've just been wondering where Recon is. He hasn't bothered me all day."

Tomoe asks, curiously, "Recon?"

Makoto says, "Little guy that has a major 'thing' for Leafa."

Leafa yells out, annoyed, "Cut it out, Makoto!"

Tomoe says, as if in deep thought, "Little guy? Actually, I did see a short Sylph player, a boy with mop of green hair, sneaking around as we entered into Swilvane."

Leafa asks, curiously, "You did? Can you tell what he looked like?" Tomoe then gives Recon's exact description causing Leafa to give a look of shock.

Makoto says, "That's Recon all right."

Haruka asks Tomoe, "What was he doing Firefly?"

Tomoe says, "He was looking in another direction and he then uses an invisibility or some kind of cloaking item to become invisible."

Leafa asks, with a sigh, "Oh, man! What are you up to this time Recon?" Just then Leafa hears a ringing sound in her head and she says, "Hold up. I'm getting a message." Leafa brings up her screen and she says, "It is from Recon. Let's see…" When she opens up the message screen, Leafa gains a confused look.

Makoto asks, "What's wrong?" Leafa puts her screen into visible mode and allows the others to see the message that she had just gotten from Recon.

Tomoe says, "It says: 'Just like we thought! Be careful, s' It looks like it got cut off."

Haruka says, her eyes narrowing, "Exactly, Firefly. It looks like a hasty message that someone was typing when something or SOMEONE cuts them off." Leafa, Makoto, and Haruka gain concerned looks and Haruka tells Leafa, "Use your friend locator and find Recon."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Okay, good idea." Leafa does so and she asks, surprised, "I've got him! He is…in the sewers? Why is he there? I don't…!"

Haruka says, interrupting, "I've got a bad feeling about this. Let's get to him right away."

Leafa says, nodding her head, "Follow me." Immediately, the group of seven head off into the sewers to find Recon.

( **A bit later on** )

Within the sewers around Swilvane, our group of seven is rushing towards Recon's location.

Leafa says, "We should be on top of him…Whoa!" Immediately, the group stop in their tracks when they see two male players in hooded cloaks with strange medallions around their necks over the motionless form of Recon. The hoods of the cloaks are down to reveal that they are males with dark tan skin and red hair.

Haruka yells out, "Salamanders!"

One of the Salamander players shout out, shocked, "Shit!" He produces a crossbow with a bolt inside and fires it at them. Reacting on instinct, Leafa whips around her sword, blocks the bolt, and charges at the Salamanders in which before they knew what hit them, Leafa cuts them down in which they turn into large red flames, Remain Lights, with the medallions clanking to the ground.

Makoto goes over to the medallions and she says, "Those are Pass Medallions! How did they get these? It can't be possible!"

Haruka says, "I have an idea."

Leafa says, looking over Recon, "Recon! He is under the effects a paralyzing potion!"

Michiru says, "Allow me." Michiru then uses healing magic to cure Recon of the paralyzing status he was under and he gets into a sitting position.

Recon says, amazed, "Leafa!" Recon sees the others and he says, excitedly, "Oh my Kami! Lady Michiru! Lady Tomoe! The 'Great Nymphs of ALO'!"

Leafa tells Recon, "This is no time to be a 'fan boy', Recon! What are Salamanders doing here?"

Haruka says, looking Michiru, "Speaking of them…" Michiru nods her head and uses a revival spell to revive them before they 'respawned' back at the Salamander home city, but they are quickly put under a paralyzing effect by Makoto using poison coated daggers.

Tomoe asks, "Why did you do that?"

Haruka says, putting the Pass Medallions back around their necks, "Can't have them returning to home base and informing that we know of their plans…yet."

Leafa asks Recon, "What's going on?"

Recon says, "Well, I was following Sigurd to poison him for the way that he has been treating you…"

Leafa says, interrupting with a deadpanning expression, "You really need to do something better with your gaming, Recon."

Recon says, seriously, "Leafa, this isn't the time! Sigurd sold us out to the Salamanders!"

There are gasps and Makoto yells out, stunned, "What?"

Recon says, "It's the truth! You see that they have Pass Medallions! Sigurd's the one that gave it to them! They were meeting here in which he exposed Lady Sakuya's renewed meeting with the Cait Sith leader and its location! They are going to attack the meeting!"

There are gasps and Leafa shouts out, "Oh no!"

Haruka says, "Damn it! I knew that piece of crap was up to something!" Just then a pair of heavily armored Sylph players enter the area and they are shocked to see what's in front of them.

One of them asks, confused and shocked, "Those are Salamanders! What are they doing here? And they have…Pass Medallions? How did they get those?"

Haruka says, "There is no time to explain! I'm keeping it short! Sigurd has betrayed us to the Salamanders!"

The other Sylph player asks, shocked, "What?!"

Haruka says, pointing to Recon, "This player has founded out. You can see the Pass Medallions on them. Sigurd gave it to them! He has betrayed Lady Sakuya and us to the Salamanders! She is off at a conference with the Cait Sith ruler and the Salamanders are off to disrupt it! We need to get to Sakuya immediately!" Haruka points to one of the Sylph players and she says, "The conference is at Butterfly Valley! I'm going on ahead with Leafa and my fellow 'Nymphs'! Get to our forces and get as many of our elite players to our location as possible!" Haruka brings up her menu and she says, "I'm giving you an instant message! When I'm done, get the heck going!"

The Sylph player responds, "Yes, ma'am!"

The other Sylph player asks, "Shouldn't we message them?"

Haruka replies, "We can't be sure where they are now! If we message them, if our message gets through, when they try to evacuate, they could run right into the Salamander attack force! They would be dead meat! We need to move now!" Haruka tells that player, "You help Recon keep an eye on these two. We can't let them get back to their 'home base' and warn their leaders that their plan has been exposed!" Haruka is done with the instant message and Haruka says, "However, try to get a message to Sakuya anyway, but advise her to find a place to hold out somewhere she can easily defend until we can find her! Oh, by the way, put Sigurd under arrest! I don't care what you have to do! I don't want that piece of trash leaving Swilvane! And make sure that he doesn't get a chance to message his Salamander 'masters'!"

The Sylph player that got Haruka's message responds, "Yes, ma'am!" He then heads off to do as Haruka commanded her to.

Makoto asks Recon, "You have any paralyzing potions."

Recon says, "A few."

Makoto says, opening up her menu, "Here are a few more." Makoto uses a trade menu to transfer them and she says, "Use them to keep these dweebs here."

Recon says, with a nod, "Right, Lady Makoto."

Haruka says, seriously, "Let's go." Soon after, Leafa, Mizuno, Makoto, Tomoe, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna run off and when they get outside, they activate their fairy wings and immediately take to the skies.

Leafa asks, nervously, "Can we make it?"

Makoto says, "We have to try, Leafa."

Leafa says, looking at Tomoe, Michiru, Mizuno, and Setsuna, "Girls…"

Michiru says, with a smile, "We know what you are going to say and you are a fellow scout, friend, and another of our Moon Princesses."

Tomoe says, with a smile, "You are a comrade, a friend, and a member of our 'family'. We aren't going to abandon you. In the real world or in the virtual world."

Leafa smiles and Mizuno says, "Leafa, you, Makoto, and Haruka are Sylphs and the fast flyers in ALO. You can get their faster than us."

Leafa asks, "Are you sure?"

Tomoe says, with a nod, "We'll catch up."

Haruka says, "Let's move!" Leafa, Makoto, and Haruka then fly off at top speed, but while they are keeping ahead of the others, they are barely managing to keep up as all of them fly at top speeds.

 _ **April 1, 2025,**_ _ **Alfheim Online**_

Right now, the seven Sailor Scouts float down to the ground at the base a mountain range that separated the World Tree, the city at the base of the World Tree, Alne, and the Alne Plateau.

Mizuno says, "This is it. The Legrue Corridor."

Tomoe says, "This is the quickest way to reach the Alne Plateau from Swilvane." Tomoe then uses a Night Vision spell to allow the group to see the dark cavern.

Haruka says, drawing her sword, "Thanks, Firefly." Immediately, the rest of the group draw their weapons and Haruka says, "Don't stop. Slice through the monsters and while it is 'bad manners', don't stop to beat any monsters that chase after you."

Michiru says, with a nod, "It is rude, but this is an emergency."

Makoto says, nodding her head in agreement, "Let's go!" The group then rush into the caverns known as the Legrue Corridor and they rush through the cavernous dungeon at top speed in which they cut down ogre monsters not taking any time at all to look at the money, known as Yrd in ALO, and items that they won from the battles. In a short time, they manage to get to the player city within Legrue Corridor, aptly named Legrue, but they didn't stop at all as they rush through the city and exit in which they encounter more ogre monsters, however, they manage to cut down them without losing a beat. Quickly, they managed to get through the cavern and get outside where they find themselves at cliff in which they don't stop and they leap off where they spread their wings taking off into the skies.

Leafa says to Tomoe, Setsuna, Mizuno, and Michiru, "Wow! You are keeping up really well!"

Setsuna says, "Remember, ALO is a skill based game and skills from the 'real world' do have significance here."

Michiru says, with a smile, "All of us have flying experience in both worlds."

Haruka says, "I hope that Hino-chan is there."

Leafa asks, "Did you message her?"

Makoto says, "No. All of us already know about meeting at Butterfly Valley."

Tomoe says, pointing ahead of her, "Speaking of…" Everyone looks and they see a lot of 'dots' in the distance. With help from Michiru, Haruka uses items in her storage combined with spell to create a telescope-like item and she looks ahead.

Haruka yells out, "Holy crap!"

Michiru tells Haruka, with a kind yet dangerous smile, "Haruka-chan…"

Tomoe tells Michiru, "Michiru-mama, I'm not a little girl anymore."

Leafa asks, changing the subject, "What do you see?"

Haruka says, "I see a whole legion of Salamanders."

There are gasps and Leafa says, "A legion!"

Haruka says, "Sixty at least."

Makoto asks, shocked, "Sixty?!"

Tomoe says, "That's…"

Leafa asks, curiously, "Do they notice us?"

Haruka responds, shaking her head, "They don't know or they don't care."

Mizuno asks, "Leafa?"

Leafa says, "Then we might have a chance. If we hit them hard and fast, we might give Sakuya and Alicia Rue the time to get away if not defeat all of them. We should use our Sword Skills."

Setsuna says, with a nod, "Wise idea."

Haruka says, nodding her head, "Sword Skill just became a part of ALO, but we have experience with them from SAO. They may have plenty of spell swordsmen in their group, but Sword Skills might help tip the balance in our favor including the fact with the elemental damage added to them and our experience with Sword Skills from SAO."

Mizuno says, with a nod, "That's a good theory, Haruka."

Michiru says, with a smile, "I think that Leafa should take the lead then."

Leafa asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Haruka says, with a grin, "Sorry, you are our princess." Leafa gives an annoyed pout and shakes her head as she draws her sword while the others also draw their weapons.

Leafa says, "Move in hard and fast. Hit them with Sword Skills with quick cooldown times. We can't afford to be frozen in that situation."

Makoto says, nodding her head in agreement, "Got that right." The group of seven then charges right towards the Salamander legion who arrive at Butterfly Valley where Sakuya with a group of armored Sylph guards are meeting with a group of Cait Sith players including one female one that sounds out.

The Cait Sith female is a short, has dark blond hair tied in multiple small pigtails at the rear of her scalp, dark skin, brown cat-like ears, yellow eyes, a brown cat-like tail, and a slim figure. She is wearing a bell on her neck, a tiny tiara with the golden crescent moon that's sideways on her forehead, brown one-piece swimsuit-like outfit/dress, a cape on the left arm with a red stripe through it near the front, white stockings, and brown boots with similar cat-like claws attached to her outfit.

Sakuya had gained a warning from a message that she had gotten, but making that rare mistake, she had the Cait Sith female just mentioned, the leader of the Cait Sith, Alicia Rue, use her **Moonlight Mirror** magic to communicate with home to confirm the situation in which she learned of Sigurd's betrayal and used her authority as leader of the Sylph given to her by the game when she was elected leader by the Sylph players to exile Sigurd causing him to be teleported from Swilvane to the nearest neutral village. Now, she and Alicia Rue along with their 'escorts' including Minako are facing the legion of Salamander players.

Minako's ALO avatar is a Cait Sith who has long flowing dark blond hair similar to her classic hairstyle with white bow on the top center portion of the rear of her scalp, she has large white cat-like ears coming out of her scalp and no human or elf-like ears, she has yellow cat-like eyes, deep, full, and lovely ruby red lips, and a large white tail coming out of her tailbone area. She is wearing a yellow armored bikini-like top, silver armored shoulder pads and elbow pads, white fingerless fighting gloves, a short skirt that covers only up to the top of her navel and down to one-quarter of her thighs, revealing quite a bit of mid-drift, and black high-heeled open-toed sandals. In her hands, there is a pair of cat-like metal claws and flying by her side, is Minako's silver dragon.

Sakuya thinks in her mind, _"Damn it all! I should have known better!"_ The group of Cait Sith and Sylph are nervous since they are trapped and even with Minako, one of the top players of ALO, they are outmatched due to the Salamander's numbers. However, a loud female yell is heard and one of the Salamander players glance only to yelp as he is impaled by Leafa using a **Horizontal** , a 1 hit One-Handed Sword Skill combo, but Leafa hit with such a critical strike that the Salamander player immediately turns into a Remain Light.

One of the Salamander players shouts out, shocked, "What the?!"

Sakuya says, surprised, "Leafa!" As the Salamander players start to get over their shock, they hear other yells in which half-a-dozen other Salamander players are turned into Remain Lights by the others with each of them using a simple Sword Skill matched with their weapons, but striking critical hits with them.

Another Salamander player shouts out, surprised, "It's the Great Nymphs!" That player is immediately taken out by Makoto using **Embracer** , a Martial Arts Sword Skill combo.

Minako yells out, "This is our chance!" She spreads her wings and takes to the attack with Sakuya's and Alicia's guards immediately realizing that this is indeed their chance.

One of the Sylph guards shouts out, "Stay back, Lady Sakuya!" With a mighty roar, the Sylph and Cait Sith guards immediately join Minako on the attack and the Salamander attack force, already surprised by Leafa and her group, are sent into confusion as Minako with Cait Sith and Sylph warriors attack them while they are distracted from the attacks of Leafa, Mizuno, Makoto, Tomoe, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna.

One of the Salamanders, the leader of the group, shouts out, strongly, "What are you doing? Fight!" The Salamanders start to fight back, but their enemies have the initiative keeping the Salamanders on the defensive. Shortly thereafter, Leafa takes out another Salamander, but her 'danger sense' allows her to dodge a strike from the Salamander leader in which Leafa gets a good look at him.

The Salamander leader is a male Salamander who is tall and well-built one with bristling flame-like, purplish-red hair that framed a face reminiscent of a dark-skinned bird of prey with blood red and golden armor covering his well-built frame and a large sword with a dark violet and silver blade in his hands.

The male Salamander says, "So, you are the Sylph girl that cost me victory, huh? You don't look like much."

Leafa responds, "You wouldn't say that knowing who I am. The name is Leafa. I'm one of the Five Great Sylphs."

The male Salamander asks, a bit surprised, "You are one of the Five Great Sylphs?"

Leafa retorts, with a glare, "You have got a problem with that?"

The male Salamander says, with a grin, "Actually, no. I can see that you are no joke. Your eyes tell me that you are an elite player. Perfect. You should know who I am. I'm General Eugene of the Salamanders."

Leafa gasps and she asks, shocked, "General Eugene? THE General Eugene?" Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Crap! I'm facing the top player of ALO, a rival for Mizuno and the other 'Nymphs'."_

The Salamander leader, General Eugene, responds, "That's right! Take it back to your homeland when you respawn back home!" General Eugene attacks Leafa with his sword, which he is holding with two hands to show that it is Two-Handed Sword, in which Leafa tries to block with her sword, but the keyword is TRY since the sword somehow phases through her sword and hits Leafa causing her to yelp as she is sent flying back.

The others see this and Tomoe yells out, stunned, "Leafa!"

Leafa asks, confused and with a winch, "What was that?"

Sakuya yells out, "Leafa! That sword! It's one of the legendary weapons of ALO: The Demon Sword Gram! It has the ability to phase through a sword or shield that you try to defend yourself with! It requires a Two-Handed Sword Skill of nine hundred and fifty to use!"

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Damn! That's not good at all! How am I supposed to defend against that?!"_ General Eugene comes in and attacks again in which Leafa does her best to dodge his sword knowing that her sword as a defense is useless. Leafa tries anything including Sword Skill to counterattack, but General Eugene does well in blocking and parrying them through he gets hit several times, they were minor blows that barely caused any damage while Leafa suffers some nasty blows bringing her HP meter down to close halfway mark. Leafa thinks in her mind, nervously, _"No way! There is no way to break his defense and there is no way that I can defend against his sword since his sword can pass through a sword or shield..."_ Just then revelation hits Leafa's mind and she thinks, _"That's it!_ _ **A**_ _sword or shield! I've got it!"_

General Eugene shouts out, "I've got you now!" He brings down in his sword down on Leafa in which she seemly vainly tries to block with her sword only for General Eugene's sword to easily pass through her sword due to its effect, but quick as a flash, Leafa draws another sword from a sheath with both sword and sheath hidden in her clothing and successfully blocks the sword much to General Eugene's shock and surprise.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' starts)

With his guard down, Leafa roars as she attacks with both swords perfectly and throwing General Eugene off-balance.

" **Locus Hexedra!** "

Leafa then uses both swords and slashes General Eugene in a hexagon formation causing him to get blasted back, but when he tries to counterattack, he grunts as he is paralyzed.

Seeing this, Makoto shouts out, "He got him!" General Eugene's paralysis stasis allows Leafa to recover from the use of the Sword Skill and unleash a barrage of kendo style sword strikes from both of her swords with perfect timing and precision causing General Eugene to yelp as Leafa causes significant damage.

Minako says, excitedly, "Way to go, girlfriend!" However, General Eugene recovers from his paralyzing stats and a flame shield then protects him as well as blast Leafa back.

General Eugene charges in and he yells out, angered, "Die!" Leafa leaps over his sword strike and lands a powerful kick to his face allowing Leafa to get behind General Eugene. General Eugene turns himself around only to find that he is perfect position for an attack by Leafa as her two swords then start to glow, showing the start of a Sword Skill, but not one that those that have knowledge of SAO Sword Skills can recognize.

" **Starlight Edge!** "

Leafa then uses rapid fast kendo style slash attacks with both swords together in unison for the first seven attacks and for the eighth and final attack, Leafa slashes General Eugene with both swords at once in 'X' formation hitting General Eugene at the exact same moment in which General Eugene grunt as his HP gauge hits zero and she explodes into red flames leaving only a red flame behind of himself.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' ends)

With the end of the duel between General Eugene and Leafa, everyone is stunned silent from what they just witnessed and Leafa asks, glaring at the Salamanders, "Anyone else?" The remaining Salamander players that haven't been turned into Remain Lights then immediately take off other than one female Salamander that glares at them and then Leafa before she spots another player flying onto the scene causing her to take off.

Minako shouts out, excitedly, "Way to go!" Immediately, the Sylph and Cait Sith guards of Sakuya and Alicia Rue also start to cheer for Leafa for her amazing victory over General Eugene. Soon after, all of the players in the air rejoin Sakuya and Alicia Rue in which Hino arrives on the scene.

Hino's ALO avatar is a female Salamander with flowing fiery red hair in her real life hairstyle, pink-red eyes, deep, full, and lovely shimmering ruby red lips, and she is wearing tight fitting samurai style armor to show her lovely feminine body's curves and lines while making it not look obscene. She has a bow attached to her back with a special magical quiver that constantly gives her new arrows.

After explaining what happened, Hino asks Leafa, stunned, "You beat General Eugene, Leafa?"

Leafa says, nervously, "I guess I did."

Minako shouts out, excitedly, "You guess? You beat him down good, girl!"

Alicia Rue says, excitedly, "That was just amazing! It was one of the best sword battles in ALO ever!" Plenty of the other players nod their heads in agreement with the Cait Sith leader.

Sakuya says, with a nod, "I must agree Leafa. That was an incredible battle. However, I'm surprised that you had such skills. I didn't know that you had a Duel Wielding Sword Skill. It is quite amazing that you got it so early after ALO restarted."

Leafa says, nervously, "Well…" Leafa asks Sakuya, "Wait! Sakuya, how do you know about that skill?"

Sakuya responds, with a smile, "I've heard about it. It is one of 'Unique Skills'. They are extra special Extra Skills that requires a certain amount of proficiency with a 'main Sword Skill' like One-Handed Sword Skills for example and then for you to go on a special quest to gain the Sword Skill. With Duel Wielding, I heard that you need a perfect One-Handed Sword Skill proficiency and you need to complete a special quest where you need a high reaction time in order to complete it."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"That's news to me."_

Sakuya says, with a smile, "Knowing your good luck, somehow you managed to find it and got yourself that Unique Skill."

Leafa responds, a bit nervously while trying to sound calm and collected, "Yeah, that's right."

Sakuya says, "However, I doubt that last attack belongs to the Duel Wielding Sword Skill." Sakuya asks, with a smile, "Could that have been an OSS?"

Leafa says, nervously, "Yeah. It is my special kendo style Duel Wielding OSS: **Starlight Edge**."

There are multiple gasps and Alicia Rue says, "No way! No one has even created a one-strike OSS yet! That's just amazing!"

Sakuya says, "Indeed. Since OSS have been found to be difficult to make due to you being unable to use the system to help you make the OSS. One to two hit Sword Skills would be hard enough, but an eight strike OSS…It must have taken a lot of work."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"You wouldn't believe it, Sakuya."_

Minako says, excitedly, "Anyway, let's have three cheers for our 'Wind Valkyrie'!"

Leafa asks, surprised, "Say what?"

Minako tells Leafa, with a grin, "Come on, Leafa! Not only did you help save Sakuya, Alicia, and the Sylph and Cait Sith alliance, but you just beat General Eugene, the strongest player of ALO other than us! You just made yourself one of the strongest players of ALO!"

Leafa says, nervously, "Wait! I…"

Michiru says, with a sly smile, "I believe that I have to agree with that statement."

Haruka thinks in her mind, with a sigh, _"Uh oh."_

Minako goes behind Leafa, slaps her in the back, and she says, "I believe that we have gained the NINTH 'Nymph of ALO': Leafa, the Wind Valkyrie!"

Sakuya says, with a smile, "I believe that's accurate to Leafa."

Leafa yells out, exasperated, "Sakuya!"

Haruka says, with a sigh and kind smile, "Welcome to the 'club', LADY Leafa." Leafa lowers her head in defeat while plenty of the others can't help to giggle/laugh at her embarrassment.

 _ **April 2, 2025,**_ _ **Alfheim Online, Swilvane**_

Back in Swilvane, the following day, Leafa appears in a flash of light as she walks into the city and prepares for another day, but she then sees all of the Sylph players looking at her causing her to get confused and nervous before Leafa becomes really confused when they start to clap and whistle at her.

Just then Recon's voice booms, "Leafa!" Leafa looks to see Recon running towards her and he yells out, "You are just amazing! Just amazing! The whole of Swilvane knows!"

Leafa asks, confused and nervously, "Huh?"

Recon says, coming up to Leafa, "Everyone knows about your battle with General Eugene, one of the most powerful players in ALO other than the 'Great Nymphs'! You are a hero!"

Leafa says, nervously, "Hero? No, I…!"

Recon says, "Lady Makoto and Lady Haruka also confirmed that you have been allowed into the ranks of the Great Nymphs! Everyone is starting to know that you are the 'Wind Valkyrie'!"

Leafa yells out, flabbergasted, "What?!" Leafa then looks to see Makoto and Haruka and Makoto gives a cheerful smile while Haruka gives a more nervous smile with a shrug of her shoulders. Leafa groans as she hangs her head low and she thinks, solemnly, _"Great. Goodbye, fun game. Hello, target on back."_

 _ **April 10, 2025, ALO, Undine Capital**_

In a town that's inside of a massive castle-like structure, our Moon Princess, in her new ALO avatar of Usagi, is looking around the capital with Asuna, in her new ALO avatar, as they look around and see all of the Undine players in the capital in which they notice the similar elf-like ears and mainly blue hairstyle.

Both Usagi's and Asuna's ALO avatars are female Undine players with Usagi is wearing a simple white and blue shirt, light blue shorts, white flat shoes, and across her waist, there is a belt containing a sheath for a simple long sword. The outfit shows the lines and curves of her of her feminine body including her very well-developed chest through not in an obscene manner and like the other players around her, she has elf-like ears, but they give her a really lovely female elf-like look.

Asuna, at this time, is also wearing stuff that looks like 'beginner's gear' as well.

As the two of them look at themselves and each other through a reflection, Usagi says, amazed, "Wow."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I know, Usagi-chan. We have a lot of our SAO avatars in us."

Usagi says, with a smile, "By the way, you look good as a fairy."

Asuna responds, with a smile, "So do you, Usagi."

Just then a familiar female voice says, "There you are!" Asuna and Usagi look to see Akari, Michiru, Izumi, Hana, and Kido flying over to them and landing in front of them.

Akari's ALO avatar is an Undine female with short blue hair, blue eyes, and she is wearing a pink version of Asuna's SAO outfit in which all of the areas that are white on Asuna's outfit is blue on this Undine's outfit in which there is a symbol that means 'light' instead of crosses where there are crosses on Asuna's outfit. Strapped to this young Undine female's waist is a sheath for a rapier with a pink handle and a pearly white blade.

Izzy's ALO avatar, Izumi, is a male Undine with short blue hair, violet eyes, and he has on a dark blue shirt with a silver armored chest plate, black short, silver armored kneepads, black combat boots, and he has a curved sword attached to the left side of his waist.

Mimi's ALO avatar, Hana, is a female Undine with long flowing blue hair mixed with pink highlights, pink eyes, light pink lips, and she is wearing something similar to Asuna's ALO outfit through everything on Mimi's version is pink where Asuna's outfit is blue. Mimi carries two daggers with their sheaths attached to her waist.

Joe's ALO avatar, Kido, is another male Undine with shoulder length blue hair, round glasses in front of grey eyes, and he is wearing light grey sleeveless shirt under a light grey armored vest, silver armored elbow pads, black gloves, blue shorts, and white sneaker-like shoes. He has no weapon in his hands, but he has a shield attached to his left wrist.

Usagi says, with a smile, "Hey!"

Hana says, with a warm smile, "Welcome to Alfheim Online!"

Asuna says, with a smile, "Thank you, Mimi…Oops! I mean Hana!"

Kido says, "We know how you feel, Asuna. It gets confusing."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Tell me about it." Usagi asks, "Where is Ami…I mean Mizuno-chan?"

Michiru responds, "She will be with us later. She has important duties as the leader of the Undines."

Asuna and Usagi give looks of surprise and Asuna asks, "Mizuno-chan is leader of the Undines?"

Akari says, with a nod, "That's right. Just before you-know-what, she had resigned as leader to get ready for that 'other business' that last nearly three months, but now, she has been recently re-elected as Undine leader."

Usagi says, amazed, "Wow."

Asuna says, with a nod, "She must be a popular leader."

Michiru says, looking around, "I think that we should continue this elsewhere." Everyone else looks around to see the other players looking at them or just giving glances at them.

Kido says, with a nod, "Good idea." The group then takes off for a side area within the city where we find Asuna and Usagi discarding all of their items while Usagi has her swords from SAO, Escalon and Lunar Excelsior, strapped to her waist.

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Some of those items had good memories."

Usagi says, "I know, Asuna, but RCT did say that if SAO survivors did transfer their data into their ALO avatars, they will have to discard their items since SAO items will most likely not work in this game."

Asuna responds, with a nod, "I know, but why did your swords from Liz remain intact?"

Mizuno, who had just joined them, says, "Maybe unlike most of your items from SAO, there are probably blades that are similar to these. I heard that there are swords named Escalon and Lunar Excelsior in ALO."

Usagi says, "That's a surprise through I'm shocked that I have Escalon. It was turned into a Keyblade last time that I checked."

Michiru says, with a nod, "That's a good question, hime."

Usagi asks, "So, how do you get your wings to work?"

Akari says, "All you need to do is focus on making them appear and they will." Soon after, Usagi and Asuna gain blue fairy wings on their backs.

Asuna asks, "So, these are our wings?"

Izumi says, "Yes, but since you are just starting out, it is best that you use the training stick."

Usagi asks, "Training stick?"

Mizuno says, "There are two ways to fly in ALO: Training controller and Voluntary Flight. With the training controller, you use a joystick that you can call up in your left hand to help you fly and Voluntary Flight is where you are able to control your wings with your virtual body without the need for a controller. You have to use the controller in your left land, so, it limits your combat abilities since you only have one free hand and your aerial mobility is limited because of that. Using Voluntary Flight is an expert skill and there are those in ALO who have been playing as long as we have and they haven't been able to use Voluntary Flight or at least master it."

Usagi says, amazed, "Wow! That must be a hard skill to learn!"

Michiru says, "It is, but all of us managed to learn Voluntary Flight through it was more difficult for some of us than others."

Mizuno says, "We should start with the training controller for you, so, you can get used to it. You have to hold up your left hand and act like you are grasping something." Usagi does so and virtual controller appears in her left hand. Mizuno says, "Pull back to ascend and push away to descend."

Usagi pulls the controller to herself and she asks, "Like this?" However, she yelps as she quickly flies up into the air, bashes against a sign, and falls back to the ground with a nasty 'thud' in which she loses a small portion of her health causing everyone else to winch from that.

Asuna asks, worriedly, "Usagi-chan, are you okay?"

Usagi responds, "Well, I know that their 'pain absorbers' are working, Asuna."

Michiru says, with a nervous smile, "Maybe we should train on a training field where you can easily beat the monsters there."

Usagi says, with a groan, "Good idea."

As Usagi gets back to her feet, Asuna says, "This isn't going to be easy. I hope that Kirito-kun and the others are having an easier time." However, Asuna's own statement makes her worried for her fellow SAO survivors, friends, and boyfriend/in-game husband.

 _ **April 10, 2025, ALO, Spriggan capital**_

At the Spriggan capital, which is a village surrounding a pyramid-like structure, Kirito, in his new ALO avatar, is with Mamoru, Setsuna, and Philia, in her new ALO avatar, as they go through their menus in which Kirito materializes a tear-shaped object in which he pushes it causing a bright light to engulf them with a familiar little black haired girl in a white dress coming out of the light.

Kirito's ALO avatar is that of a Spriggan that looks a lot like his SAO avatar and wearing a classic all-black motif.

Mamoru's ALO avatar is a tall Spriggan warrior with well-combined black hair, dark eyes, and he is dressed in a black version of his outfit as Prince Endymon with a powerful looking sword to match.

Philia's new ALO avatar, like her fellow former SAO players/friends, is a lot like her SAO avatar, but now, she is a Spriggan fairy, much like Kirito, her hair is black in color and she is wearing an outfit similar to her SAO outfit.

The little black haired girl opens her eyes and she says, with a smile, "Daddy!"

The little girl hugs Kirito and he says, with a warm smile, "Good to see you, Yui. Didn't think that you would recognize me."

The little black haired girl, Yui, the former Mental Health Program of SAO, replies, with a smile, "I'll always know you, papa."

Philia says, with a smile, "I'm glad that Yui-chan is here."

Mamoru says, "It isn't too surprising. ALO runs off the same system that was used in SAO."

Yui says, with a nod, "Yes. It is the reason that I can exist in this form. I can tell that this game uses the same Cardinal System that SAO used." Yui closes her eyes for a second and when she reopens them, she says, "It seems like it was recently updated too. That's good. It will work better."

Philia asks, "Does this game have a Mental Health Program?"

Yui says, shaking her head, "No, it has no need of it especially since this is just a regular VRMMO game."

Kirito asks Yui, "Then what does the system classify you as?"

Yui responds, "It seems like it classifies me as a 'Navigation Pixie'." Just then Yui glows and everyone is forced to cover their eyes as she is engulfed in a bright flash. When they open their eyes, Yui has changed quite a bit.

Yui is now a little fairy/pixie version of herself that's no more than four inches in height in which she is wearing a light pink dress styled like a flower petal and pink anklets flies around.

Philia asks, surprised, "Yui-chan?"

Yui says, in a pixie voice, "That's right. This is what I am as a pixie." Kirito gently pokes his 'virtual daughter' in the cheek and Yui says, with a giggle, "Stop it, papa! That tickles!"

Kirito stops and he asks, "Do you have any administration privileges like before?"

Yui responds, "No, daddy. I can only access the reference map data and general map information. I can also view the status of the players that I have contacted personally. However, I see no need for them since this is a regular VRMMO game."

Kirito says, with a smile, "Yeah, you're right, Yui." Kirito tells Yui, "Your mother is going to love your new form."

Yui asks Kirito, "You really think that mama will like my pixie form?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "Trust me, Yui-chan. She will LOVE it."

Yui says, with a smile, "Okay, papa, then I will stay in my pixie form all the time."

Kirito says, "Hold on, Yui-chan. It doesn't mean that she won't love your 'regular form' and she would like to hold in her arms once in a while."

Yui says, with a nod, "Okay, papa, you have a point." Yui tells Kirito, "Anyway, papa, you and Philia should get started on training to how to fly. I may not have administration privilege, but I have enough access to the database to know that flight is the best way to get from place to place in ALO."

Mamoru says, "Yui has a point, Kirito. In fact, it is the main way of getting from area to area in ALO."

Kirito says, "If we're going to meet up with everyone, we're going to need to learn fast."

Philia says, with a smile, "I can't wait, Kirito." Philia says, overlooking the Spriggan capital, "It is beautiful here."

Kirito says, with a nod and smile, "I agree, Philia. And something tells me that there are plenty of great place to adventure even before the newest updates to ALO." Kirito says, "We should get started." Kirito then says, remembering, "Oh, Yui! Strea!"

Philia says, also remembering, "Oh, right!"

Yui says, with a warm smile, "Don't worry, papa! She is right here!" Yui closes her eyes and Yui is covered in a bright glow in which another glow, a violet one, separates from Yui and floats above Kirito causing him to get nervous before the violet 'glow' takes a form that slams into Kirito causing him to collapse to the ground.

Philia says, shocked, "Kirito!" When the 'form' that came from the violet 'glow' is seen, we find that it is a Strea, the second Mental Health Program from SAO that took an unused player avatar, on top of Kirito in a new ALO form.

Strea's 'ALO avatar' is a female Gnome with brown hair in her hairstyle of her 'SAO avatar', red eyes, and an outfit resembling her SAO outfit.

Strea says, excitedly, "Hi, Kirito!"

Kirito says, with a grunt, "Hi, Strea."

Yui says, scolding tone in her voice, "Strea, please get off of papa now! You are causing him great discomfort!" Strea gives a pout as she gets off of Kirito and Kirito gets to his feet.

Mamoru asks, "Strea?"

Setsuna says, with a smile, "I'm not surprised by this. Most likely, she is classified as a player too."

Yui says, with a nod, "That's right. Since Strea took an unused player avatar for her 'physical form' in SAO, it is part of her data. And because she has player avatar data, it isn't surprising that Strea has a player avatar here! I believe that Strea's ALO avatar is a Gnome known their tall height and Earth magic."

Mamoru asks Yui, "Since Strea is technically a new player, she should have appeared in the Gnome capital first. Would this be a problem?"

Yui responds, shaking her head, "No. The system won't put this as an error or it would be classified as a player's information getting mixed in with another player's data due to Full-Diving in the same real-life vicinity. It is the reason that you and Leafa logged in separately."

Kirito says, "Well, that's good."

Strea then hugs Kirito in a bone crushing hug and she yells out, excitedly, "That means that we get to start in this new game together! Isn't this wonderful Kirito?"

Yui says, with a sigh, "Oh, Strea…"

Setsuna says, with a smile, "I see that Strea hasn't changed one bit. It means that her data is completely intact and safe." Mamoru nods his head in agreement and understanding in which after Kirito separates himself from Strea, he and Philia prepare to learn how to fly from Mamoru and Setsuna with Yui and Strea also assisting since they figured out how to fly due to them being AI with access, despite how limited it is, to ALO.

 _ **April 11, 2025, ALO, Butterfly Valley**_

At Butterfly Valley, Leafa, Kirito, Asuna, Philia, Klein, in his new ALO avatar, Silica, in her new ALO avatar, Sinon, in her new ALO avatar, Agil, in his new ALO avatar, Lisbeth, in her new ALO avatar, our Digidestined, with the SAO survivors among them, minus Dai and Akari, in their new ALO avatars, Mamoru, and the Sailor Scouts in their ALO avatars, are all assembled together with quite a few of the new members of ALO taking a deep breath.

Speaking of Lisbeth, her ALO avatar is that of a Leprechaun, which isn't surprising since she was an elite blacksmith in SAO, and she looks much like she did in SAO with her pink hair and dark pink eyes as well as hairstyle and clothing with ALO 'fairy features' added in.

Asuna's ALO avatar is an Undine that looks like her SAO avatar, but while her hairstyle is the same, her hair is now blue to show that she is an Undine and she has blue eyes as well. She is wearing a white and dark blue tight fitting dress with the skirt area of her dress having 'extensions' that go all around her skirt, expect for the front, and go down to just above her ankles, white sleeves across most of her arms, dark blue stockings that covers half-way of her thighs, and white high-heeled boots.

Silica's new ALO avatar is, like Asuna and Lisbeth, is similar in appearance to her SAO avatar, but her brown hair is messier and she has two cat-like ears coming out of her scalp and she is wearing a blue and black outfit with blue jacket over a silver armor chest plate, black stockings, and dark blue boots. Her fairy race is the beast tamer Cait Sith and her dragon partner from SAO, Pina, is sitting on her shoulders.

Klein's new ALO avatar, like Asuna, Lisbeth, and Silica, is similar to his appearance in SAO, expect that he has elf-like ears and his hair is colored red instead of brown in which he wearing a samurai style outfit with a classic samurai katana attached to his waist.

Sinon's ALO avatar is that of a Cait Sith and her features are similar to the avatar that she had in SAO expect that her hair and eyes are blue with cat-like ears coming out of her scalp as well as wearing a green coat with white chest armor, a black choker and a belted quiver across her shoulders. She also has a cat-like tail coming of her tailbone area.

Agil's new ALO avatar is that of a Gnome with, like his fellow SAO survivors, being similar to his SAO avatar in which he is wearing green clothing with silver armor chest plate.

Dai's ALO avatar is a Salamander male with spiky red hair, dark red eyes, he has a tight fitting black muscle shirt with an armored chest plate on top of it, he has a flame designed jacket with a black fluffy collar, tight fitting fingerless fighting gloves, tight fitting dark blue jeans with silver armored kneepads, and black combat boots with armored toes. Strapped to his waist, there is a pair of swords.

Sora's ALO avatar, Sara, is a female Salamander with flowing crimson red hair and brown eyes, light red lips, and she is wearing something akin to Sakura Haruno's outfit in Naruto Shippuden expect that her gloves are fingerless and they are flame designed with the fact she is wearing high-heeled open-toed sandals not boots. Strapped to her back is a bow.

Cody's ALO avatar, Kendo, is a male Imp with short violet hair, deep brown eyes, and he is wearing an outfit similar to samurai with a long katana and a samurai style short sword attached to the left side of his waist.

Taichi's new ALO avatar is a male Salamander with spiky and wild red hair, red-brown eyes, elf-like ears, and he is wearing the same outfit as his SAO outfit.

Yamato's new ALO avatar is a male Spriggan warrior that looks a lot like his SAO avatar, but his hair is black in color, dark eyes, and he is wearing a dark blue muscle shirt under a black chest plate armor, black fingerless fighting gloves, black pants, bronze colored shoulder, elbow, and knee pads, black combat boots, and a lance and shield attached to his back through a strap across his chest.

Juniper's new ALO avatar is a female Cait Sith with her face and hairstyle like her SAO avatar, but her hair is dark ruby red, her eyes are a bright pink color, she has dark ruby red cat-like ears coming out of her scalp with same colored cat-like tail coming out of her tailbone area and she is wearing a similar outfit to her SAO outfit.

Takashi's new ALO avatar is a male Sylph that looks similar to his SAO avatar, but his hair is light green, and he is wearing a white shirt under a silver armored chest plate, leaf green fingerless fighting gloves on his hands, light blue pants on his feet, silver armored kneepads, and black armored combat boots with a two handed sword inside of a sheath with the sheath attached to a brown belt across Takashi's waist.

Sam's new ALO avatar is a male Imp that looks similar to his SAO avatar, but his hair is a such a dark violet that it looks black in certain light/shadow, violet eyes, and he is wearing an outfit very much similar to his SAO outfit.

Miyako's new ALO avatar is a female Imp that looks similar to her SAO avatar, but her eyes are a magenta color and she is wearing an outfit similar to her SAO outfit.

Klein says, "Geez! This flying is exhausting!"

Silica, with Pina circling around her, says, with a nod, "It is, but it is worth it to see Pina again."

Mizuno says, with a smile, "Since there are similar dragons to Pina, here, I'm not surprised that her data within your avatar data could be replicated here."

Asuna asks, "Could this mean…?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "There is someone to see you, Asuna." Just then Yui, in her new pixie form, comes out of Kirito's pocket and flies over to Asuna.

Yui says, with a smile, "Mommy!"

Asuna says, excitedly, "Yui-chan!" Asuna asks, curiously, "But what happened to you?"

Leafa says, with a smile, "She is a navigation pixie."

Sinon asks, "Navigation Pixie?"

Kirito says, "Yui explained it to me. Navigation Pixies are support AI in ALO."

Leafa says, nodding her head, "Typically, they are given to players who pay for them and they usually give just basic system information with basic voices. However, when ALO was started, they gave away a limited number of 'private pixies' to winners of a raffle among those who ordered the game when it first came out."

Mamoru says, "We managed to use that excuse to explain Yui."

Izumi says, "Well, it makes sense that Yui would be a Navigation Pixie since, based on what you told us, she is a human support program that didn't get to do her job in SAO and since Navigation Pixies are a support program for players in ALO, it makes logical sense that Yui would become one."

Kirito says, "However, Yui doesn't have her administration privileges anymore. She has the ability to give us map data, system information, and she can also check the conditions of players that she has met, but I think that it is for the best."

Yui lands on Asuna's shoulder and Asuna says, "I'm just glad to see her, again, Kirito-kun. She is so cute." Yui blushes and giggles as Asuna gently strokes Yui's chin with her finger. Asuna then asks, "But what about Strea?"

Yui responds, "Don't worry, mommy. Strea is here too. She was with us a while ago, but she was having fun flying around…"

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, "Kirito!" Soon after, Kirito yelps as he is tackled to the ground and everyone looks to see none other than Strea hanging onto Kirito.

Usagi asks, shocked, "Strea?"

Setsuna says, with a smile, "That would be her."

Strea let's go of Kirito and she says, seeing Usagi, "Hi, Usagi-chan!"

Usagi then yelps as Strea gives Usagi one of her possibly bone crunching hugs, if she was doing this in 'reality', causing Lisbeth to say, nervously, "That's Strea all right."

When the others kindly and gently get Usagi out of Strea's hug, Yui says, "Remember, Strea used player data that wasn't used to give herself physical form, so, she has player avatar data. I was able to save all of Strea's data and now, Strea has a brand new ALO player avatar of herself. Since she is just like me, I believe that Strea also have her own Navigation Pixie form."

Silica says, "Well, it is good to see you, again, Strea."

Strea says, with a smile, "Nice to see you, again, Silica-chan."

Dai asks, "So, you choose a Gnome, huh?"

Strea says, with a smile, "Yep! They are so big and strong, so, I thought that would be good for me!" Strea then goes into a sexy pose and she asks, "So, what do you think?"

Asuna says, nervously, "It looks good on you, Strea."

Taichi says, "Well, it looks like the gang is all here."

Minako tells Takashi, "You look good, Takashi-kun."

Takashi responds, with a smile, "You, too, Minako-chan."

Miyako says, "Man! I'm amazed that we got here at all! And it wasn't the monsters that were the problem!"

Takashi says, "You weren't kidding when you said flying wasn't as easy as it sounds."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Told you."

Klein says, "And you weren't kidding about the Salamander homeland. Geez! I saw chipper places in the dark dungeons of you know where."

Hino says, "Yeah, it isn't exactly a nice place."

Leafa says, "Anyway, you can set up shop in Alne or Yggdrasil City, the new 'capital' of Alfheim, Klein. They are completely neutral cities and no fighting allowed in which you can get to anywhere from there."

Klein says, with a grin, "If you say so… _Lady_ Leafa."

Leafa yelps and Asuna, Kirito, and Usagi ask in unison, "Lady Leafa?"

Leafa slaps herself on the head and Michiru says, with a smile, "Well, it was going to come out sooner or later, Leafa."

Usagi asks, confused, "What do you mean?"

Makoto asks, "Remember when we talked about that we were the top players of ALO?"

Takashi says, "Yeah, I know. All eight of you, Usagi's female friends, are known as the 'Eight Great Nymphs' of ALO and you are treated with the upmost respect by most other players."

Klein says, "Yeah. Hino may have been a Salamander, but those Sylph guards treated her like she was close to royalty."

Minako says, pointing to Leafa, "Well, we are NINE Great Nymphs of ALO. This is our newest member: Leafa, the Wind Blade Valkyrie."

There are gasps of shock and Leafa asks, nervously, "Really, Minako?"

Just then a female voice booms, angrily, "Well, the Sylph wench won't be so 'great' for long!" There are winches in which everyone looks to see a female Salamander with a gorgeous female figure covered in a blood red and black armor with long flowing flaming red hair and dark green eyes landing in front of them.

Klein says, with a grin, "Not bad."

Hino says, with a sneer, "How about really bad, genius? Her name is Flare and she is an ultimate pain in the neck."

Leafa says, with a sigh, "I'll take care of this." Leafa goes over to face the female Salamander, Flare, and she asks, "Can't this wait?"

Flare responds, with a sneer, "I won't lose to you, girl!"

Minako asks, with a sly smile, "Didn't you already lose to Leafa a dozen times already?"

Flare angrily sneers at this and Hino asks, "You had to get her started, didn't you?"

Flare says, strongly, "The Salamanders could have been on top, but this Sylph made us look like a laughing stock when she defeated our great general, Eugene, who was…who is the strongest player in ALO!"

Minako asks, slyly, "Don't you mean 'was'?"

Flare draws her sword, a rapier with a golden hilt and flame designed blade, and she yells out, "That's it! You're dead!" Flare charges in and Leafa barely dodges her sword slashes.

Haruka tells Minako, "You had to piss her off, huh?"

Kirito says, "Leafa!"

Leafa responds, "Don't worry, I've got this one!" Leafa keeps dodging the attacks of Flare and she then unleashes a barrage of fireballs at her.

Lisbeth asks, "Is she using magic?"

Makoto says, "That's her special sword: Dragon's Breath. When an opponent clash with it, it unleashes a flame attack that damages the opponent and she can also use flame magic without using incantations. It is one nasty blade." Leafa dodges the fire magic attacks with ease, but Leafa then notices the smirk on Flare's face. Leafa then 'senses' some kind 'killer intent' and she draws her sword only to whip and swing in which it seems to collide in mid-air with nothing making a loud 'clang' as if two swords are clashing.

Taichi asks, "Did she just hit the air?"

Haruka says, with a serious tone, "No! Someone else is here and hiding under an invisibility cloak or spell!"

Leafa says, "I knew it!" Leafa then seems to grab for air, but catches a piece of cloth and rips it away revealing none other than Sigurd, Sakuya's now FORMER right hand Sylph.

Haruka says, with a sneer, "Sigurd!"

Yamato asks, "You know him?"

Makoto says, with an angered sneer, "He tried to sell the Sylphs out to the Salamanders by trying to take out Sakuya, the leader of our people, which would have allowed them to occupy our lands for over a week and take a good amount of our money and resources for themselves by giving them information about a secret meeting between our people, the Sylphs, and the Cait Sith!"

There are gasps and Haruka says, "However, a friend of Leafa's, here and IRL, Recon, managed to find this out and get the information to her. Leafa managed to stop the attempt by defeating their top warrior and rival to us, the 'Great Nymphs': General Eugene!"

Minako says, with a smile, "That's why Leafa is one of us now! When that rat of a fairy was found out, Sakuya made sure that his butt was permanently kicked out of Sylph lands!"

Klein says, plainly, "I get it. This is payback."

Leafa tells Sigurd, "Not surprising you would be back, Sigurd."

Sigurd yells out, "You backstabber! Thanks to you, I'm a renegade with no power now!"

Leafa responds, "You are the backstabber, jerk! You tried to sell us out to the Salamanders despite 'The Grand Quest' being over when it was revealed to be a fake!"

Sigurd shouts out, with a sneer, "It doesn't matter! There would be another 'Grand Quest' sooner or later and I intended for us to be on top! I used those lizards to get Sakuya out of the way!"

Leafa says, with a plain tone, "And wrongly discredit her when you were the one that betrayed her and us! And now, you are right where you belong scum!" Leafa then dodges another flame attack from Flare in which Sigurd barely ducks under the attack.

Sigurd shouts out, angrily, "Watch where you are aiming!"

Flare responds, "Then stay out of my way! Remember the deal, Sigurd! This is your last chance to make up for your failure!" Sigurd snarls as the two of them prepare to fight Leafa.

Kirito shouts out, "Not so fast!" Flare and Sigurd look to see Kirito charging them with Usagi's two swords in which Sigurd barely manages to dodge out of the way of Kirito's attack in which he gets nicked causing him to lose a bit of HP.

Sigurd says, "Stay out of this Spriggan!"

Kirito responds, "Not when you aren't fighting my sister in a fair fight!"

Sigurd and Flare ask in unison, "Sister?"

Leafa responds, with a smile, "Meet my older brother. His name is Kirito. He is also known as 'The Black Swordsman'. He is new to ALO, but he is more than a match for you, two, dopes!"

Flare responds, "Want to bet?"

Leafa replies, with a smirk, "Don't need to since big brother has already won."

Flare tells Sigurd, "Her Spriggan brother is all yours!"

Sigurd responds, with a plain tone, "With pleasure!" Flare goes after Leafa while Sigurd attacks Kirito.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' starts)

As Sigurd starts to attack Kirito, plenty of the others notice that he is using Usagi's swords and Silica asks, "Aren't those Usagi-chan's swords?" A lot of the others look to see Usagi without her swords, but Asuna, who is looking at the battle, is smiling at this.

Sigurd says, with a sneer, "So, you are Leafa's brother, huh? She is going to weep as I pound you into the dirt."

As Kirito easily dodges and/or blocks Sigurd's attacks, Kirito responds, with a smirk, "Not with those moves, pal. Are you even trying?"

Sigurd responds, angrily, "You will pay for mocking me!" Sigurd attacks Kirito with all of his might, but with his skill and experience in SAO, Kirito proves to be faster, stronger, and more skilled with his wielding of two swords in his Duel Wielding style of SAO, he quickly puts Sigurd on the defensive and his expression starts to show panic causing to be unable to understand how a 'newbie' could be beating him. On the meanwhile, Leafa flawless dodges the strikes and fire magic attacks of Flare.

Flare shouts out, strongly, "Stop jumping around!"

Leafa responds, with a smirk, "You have to make me, hot head!" Flare growls in anger as her attacks continue to fail to connect against Leafa in which she then glances at the others.

Flare asks, "Then how about this?!" Flare then looks she is about to attack the others, but instead, Flare unleashes a powerful flame attack right at Kirito's back!

Dai yells out, stunned, "Hey, Kirito, heads up!"

Asuna shouts out, nervously, "Kirito-kun, watch out!" Kirito turns to see the attack heading for him, but Leafa steps in and grunts as she takes the attack on the side.

Usagi yells out, shocked, "Leafa!"

After Sigurd tries to use Kirito's distraction to strike at Kirito, which fails obviously, causing Kirito to knock him away, Kirito yells out, concerned, "Sugu, are you all right?"

Leafa responds, "I'm fine, big brother." As she looks at her HP gauge, she notices that she took damage equal to one-third of her health bar.

Makoto shouts out, "That's a dirty trick!"

Flare responds, "While I will never go low to attack those that aren't fighting, your brother is another story! You made the Salamanders look like a joke when you took down General Eugene and I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you will pay the price, Sylph! Now, fight me seriously!"

Leafa responds, strongly, "Well, here I am!" Flare then charges right at Leafa and Leafa prepares to use her sword, only held in her right hand, to block Flare's sword.

Haruka asks, "What's she doing?"

Tomoe says, "If she blocks that sword, she'll get hit with a flame attack!" What few see is Leafa using her left hand to call her player menu and when Leafa blocks the sword, she gets engulfed in flames, but Flare's sword is knocked out of her hands by Leafa using a sword similar to her typical katana in her left hand! With a strong battle yell, Leafa then puts her TWO swords side by side and unleashes rapid series of kendo style strikes with both swords!

Many of the others are shocked and Lisbeth asks, stunned, "She's Duel Wielding?!"

Leafa says, with a serious tone, "You wanted the strength that I used to defeat General Eugene! Well, here it is!" Leafa's two sword then start to glow, showing the start of a Sword Skill, and she yells out, " **Starlight Edge!** " Leafa then uses rapid fast kendo style slash attacks with both swords together in unison for the first seven attacks and for the eighth and final attack, Leafa slashes Flare with both swords at once in 'X' formation hitting Flare at the exact same moment in which Flare grunt as her HP gauge hits zero and she explodes into red flames leaving only a red flame behind of herself.

Sigurd sees this and he yells out, stunned, "No way!"

" **Starburst Stream!** "

Sigurd then roar out as Kirito unleashes the same classic 16 hit Duel Wielding Sword Skill combo that he used in SAO so many times and Sigurd then explodes into green flames leaving a green flame behind when his HP drops to zero.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' ends)

Makoto says, with a grin, "They did it!"

Lisbeth says, with a smirk, "Not surprising, Mako-chan."

Strea yells out, "Great job, Kirito!"

Yui calls out, "You were wonderful, daddy!"

Miyako asks, looking at the flames, "What happened to them?"

Kendo tells Miyako, "Those are 'End Flames'. When a player 'dies' here, they turn into those flames and remain that way for sixty seconds. They can still hear and see what we are doing, but they can't do anything. After a minute, they are revived in their home territory."

Haruka says, "And if they are exiles like Sigurd, they are then booted out to the next neutral village or town."

Leafa shouts out, "But if you use a revival item or spell, they can be restored right here and now." Leafa looks at the Sailor Scouts and she makes a nod in which Mizuno, Minako, Hino, Makoto, Tomoe, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna race over, draw their weapons, and Michiru uses a revival spell in which the red flames turn into Flare and the green flames turn into Sigurd. When they regain their senses, they find Leafa and the Sailor Scouts, minus Usagi, with their weapons on them. Leafa tells Flare, "Shall we go into round two or shall we call it a day?"

Flare says, extending her wings, "Fine, Sylph, but this isn't over!"

Flare then takes off into the distance and Sigurd shouts out, "Hey!" He then yelps as Haruka's sword is around his neck.

Haruka asks, with a deadly glare, "You got anything else to add traitor?"

Makoto says, with a sneer, "Get out of our sight, so, we can enjoy a day with our friends."

Sigurd extends his wings and he yells out, "This isn't over, Leafa! You will pay!"

Sigurd then flies away and Hino says, with a snarl, "Sore loser."

Dai tells Hino, "What do you expect from power hungry jerks like him?"

Hino says, with a nod, "Good point, Dai."

Soon after, the group puts away their weapons with Kirito giving Usagi's swords back to our Moon Princess and he says, "Thanks, Usagi."

Usagi responds, with a smile, "No problem, Kirito."

Leafa says, rubbing her head, "Sorry about that guys."

Philia says, "It's all right, Leafa."

Silica says, with a smile, "You were just awesome out there even better than before!"

Yamato says, "Not to open any wounds, but she does have actual combat experience."

Haruka says, "Same with us."

Asuna asks Leafa, "Leafa-chan, when did you use Duel Wielding?"

Leafa responds, a bit nervously, "It happened after I returned to ALO for the first time and I had looked to see much of the stuff that I had gained in SAO displayed on my menu, but I was shocked to find in my skill set that I had Duel Wielding and while I'm not at the 'level' of big brother, I had a few skills that Duel Wielding had."

Lisbeth asks, "Wait? You come back to ALO and find out that you have the Duel Wielding Sword Skill?"

Usagi says, "Leafa told me back in the Moon Kingdom a few days ago."

There are gasps of shock and Leafa says, "I couldn't believe it and in fact, I went to Usagi's friends about it."

Mizuno says, "We think that since she used two swords at the final battle with Kayaba, she had somehow gained the Duel Wielding Sword Skill which has become part of ALO. The people at RCT Progress did kind of rush job to get the Sword Skills to be a part of ALO while making sure that they didn't import any of the 'bad stuff' from SAO."

Kirito asks, "But that Sword Skill…?"

Leafa says, with a smile, "That's my special Duel Wielding OSS: **Starlight Edge**."

Klein asks, "OSS?"

Izumi says, "Original Sword Skill. When they added Sword Skills into ALO, they also added a system to allow players to create their own sword skills."

There are gasps and Miyako asks, stunned, "Players creating their own Sword Skills?"

Kendo says, "That's right, but the system only accepts skills that meet requirements of speed, combo, and execution requirements and the players have to make the skill WITHOUT help from the system itself."

There are more gasps and Taichi shouts out, "You have got to be kidding me! It shouldn't be possible since without the system assisting you! We should know that kind of thing."

Haruka says, "You are right, Taichi. However, players have found a way to create a ton of new sword skills for all types of weapons."

The SAO survivors in the group are amazed and Philia says, amazed, "Incredible."

Minako says, with a grin, "It is why our Leafa-chan is now so famous. She created her own eight hit Duel Wielding combo which only she and her brother have the Duel Wielding Sword Skill and only Usagi and Dai are the only ones other than them that can use Duel Wielding."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Well, it wasn't easy. It took me a lot of tries to get everything just right to create **Starlight Edge**."

Kirito says, with a nod, "I bet, Leafa. It would be hard enough to create a one to four hit Sword Skill, but anything five hit or beyond takes out of speed, skill, and excellent execution down to the letter."

Hino says, "Yeah, no kidding. It is the reason that Leafa has become so famous in which her 8 hit OSS is the Original Sword Skill with the highest number of hits through I hear that someone has a Two-Handed Original Sword Skill with just as much hits."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yeah, I heard: General Eugene and his **Volcanic Blazer**."

Klein says, "Wow. There is a lot of new stuff that we have to learn here. Not only is there magic and learning on how to fly, but we have to deal with Sword Skills that could be off the chain."

Agil says, with a smile, "No kidding."

Kirito says, with a smile, "I like it."

Usagi says, with a smile, "I'm not surprised, Kirito."

Lisbeth says, with a nod, "You got that right, Usagi."

Taichi asks, with a grin, "Well, what are we waiting for?" Soon enough, the SAO survivors in the group start their lessons on learning how to fly in ALO.

 _ **April 11, 2025, ALO, Alne**_

Within the city of Alne, our heroes and heroines walk through the streets of Alne and they explore around with Leafa, Dai, and Akari being the main tour guides for the city. After a while of practice, our group decides to take a breather due to the 'mess' caused by Flare's and Sigurd's attack and take a tour of the FORMER capital of Alfheim. You see, after the 'reboot', there was a brand new city in the World Tree, Yggdrasil City, in which half of the population of Alne migrated there.

Philia says, amazed, "This place is amazing."

Miyako says, with a nod, "I'll see, Philia."

Minako says, with a grin, "Wait till you see Yggdrasil City."

Kirito asks, "That's the new place added to ALO right?"

Mamoru says, "That's right."

Haruka says, "After it was found out that the original 'Grand Quest' was a big fake and not wanting to have the World Tree turn into just 'scenery', they replaced what Sigurd had up there with Yggdrasil City. Already half of the population of Alne has moved there."

Lisbeth asks, surprised, "Already?"

Michiru says, with a smile, "Nice city. New chances for 'merchant players' to advance."

Makoto says, "It is also said that they have some awesome new player houses up there."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Really?"

Sam asks Dai and Akari, "Anyway, this is where you live?"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Akari says, "Dai-kun lives in Alne because despite him being a Salamander, he doesn't follow the current leader of the Salamanders."

Dai says, looking at Klein and Hino, "I'm sure that these two can tell you that guy is a real jerk."

Hino says, plainly, "Got that right."

Michiru says, "Hino is technically a renegade, a player that has left or been banished from their home lands, but she is highly regarded by the other 'player nations' for her opposition to the leadership of the Salamanders."

Haruka says, "And this is where Hino makes her home here in ALO."

Akari says, "Dai-kun does the same and so do I, but I return back to the Undine homeland from time to time."

Silica says, amazed, "It is amazing."

Philia says, nodding her head, "I'll say, Silica."

Sinon says, plainly, "I've got to admit that it is quite incredible."

Usagi says, with a smile, "Yes, it is."

Minako says, "Anyway, let's give you the tour and see if we can get the best possible weapons and equipment."

Kirito says, "Yeah, I don't think that we can keep up with just our starter equipment especially since this is a skill based game and not a level based game."

Asuna says, nodding her head, "I agree, Kirito-kun."

Klein asks, "Well, what are we waiting for?" The group then heads off into Alne to find weapons and equipment shops in order get better equipment for the members of their group that just started playing ALO.

 _ **April 12, 2025, ALO, Butterfly Valley**_

At Butterfly Valley, our group is assembled together to start the first lesson of flying for the SAO survivors of the group that wasn't part of ALO. Today, after scouting out the area to make sure that there are no 'surprises', the group prepares for their first lesson in Voluntary Flight, the way of flying without using the control stick.

Makoto says, "This time, we won't be interrupted."

Leafa says, "That's good." Leafa tells Kirito, "Sorry about that."

Kirito says, with a smile, "No problem, Leafa. We learned quite a bit about ALO from that experience."

Lisbeth says, "Yeah, no kidding."

Silica says, with a smile, "You were just incredible out there."

Leafa says, a bit nervously, "Yeah, thanks."

Klein says, with a grin, "Man, you and Kirito have to be siblings! That Sword Skill was awesome!"

Hino says, "Well, Klein, remember that creating an OSS isn't easy."

Makoto says, "No joke! You have to remember that you can't use the system to help."

Asuna says, "Normally that shouldn't be possible."

Kirito says, "True, Asuna. However, I think that experiences in a Full-Dive environment may be the cause of it. You have it also remember that with her over a year of experience in a Full-Dive herself, Sugu is also expert in kendo, which gives her incredible focus and concentration which are vital especially in a VRMMO like this one."

Agil says, with a nod, "That's a good point, Kirito."

Haruka says, "That isn't surprising. Since ALO is a skill based game, Leafa's ability have allowed her to go beyond even other ALO players that have more hours than her. We've always suspected that she has massive 'real world ability' since she defeated opponents that have more time in ALO than she does. It is the reason that she is known as one of the Five Great Sylphs like Makoto and I."

Makoto says, with a grin, "And how she is the newest member of the Great Nymphs of ALO."

Leafa asks, with a nervous smile, "Can we change the subject now?"

Usagi says, deciding to help in changing the subject, "Anyway, you said that this is a perfect place to start Voluntary Flight training."

Sara says, "I don't know about this. This is a really hard technique to learn. I mean, there are plenty of ALO players that have been here since the start and they still are stuck using the control stick."

Kido says, with a nod, "No joke. It took us what seemed like forever."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Something tells me that with a bit of work that these guys and gals will get it."

Strea says, activating her wings and floating up, "Well, it isn't too hard for me."

Yui flies over and she says, "It is because that you are like me, Strea. Since we are 'virtual beings', we manage to adapt to the 'rules' of our 'environment' quite quickly."

Leafa tells Kirito, "Okay, Kirito, turn around and activate your wings, but don't bring out your controller."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Okay." After Kirito turns to have his back face Leafa, his wings spread out and Leafa then touches his back.

Leafa asks, "Do you feel where I'm touching you?" When Kirito nods his head, Leafa says, "You see, you can't just use your imagination. You have to 'believe' that there are virtual bones and muscles that are connected from your back to the wings and move them."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Right, Leafa. Virtual bones and muscles…" Kirito then grunt as he focuses on the areas of shoulders and back in which his wings, which are in the resting position, twitch and start to move and twitch into 'in use' position.

Silica says, amazed, "Your wings…!"

Leafa says, with a smile, "That's right! Okay, you need to focus on your shoulders and back until you find which muscles and bones are connected your wings!"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Gotcha!" Kirito then continues to focus until his wings are in the 'upright position' and when she feels that he is ready, Leafa gives him a push.

Leafa says, with a smile, "Go!" Kirito yelps out as he rockets into the sky, but then gets nervous as he starts to fly out of control and Kirito is circling around in the air flying in the form of an infinity sign.

Kirito wails out, "How do I make it stop…?" Leafa and plenty of the others look at each other and then they start to burst out laughing.

Yui says, chortling in amusement, "I'm sorry, daddy!"

Leafa shouts out, as she fully out laughs at the situation, "That's hilarious!"

Asuna says, with a giggle, "I'm…I'm sorry, Kirito-kun!"

Lisbeth asks, with a giggle, "Is that some kind of new 'aerial dance craze'?"

Usagi rubs her head, nervously, and she thinks, nervously, _"You wouldn't think so if you were the one on the situation."_

Dai asks, nervously, "You know, with the flight restrictions gone, he is going to keep doing that all day if no one helps him, right?" After getting the giggles out of her system, Leafa, along with Usagi, stop Kirito's wild flight and after some time and help, Kirito is flying pretty well now.

He flies around gracefully and Yui says, excitedly, "Wow, papa!"

Silica says, amazed, "Wow, Kirito!"

Dai says, with a grin, "The dude is a natural!" Plenty of the others can't help to nod in agreement with Dai.

Leafa says, floating around with a smile, "You are doing great, Kirito."

Kirito says, with a smile, "Thanks, Sugu."

Klein says, with a smirk, "I taught him everything he knows." Lisbeth gab's Klein in the waist with her elbow while Leafa goes over to Usagi.

Leafa tells Usagi, with a smile, "Ready to go, sis?"

Usagi asks, surprised, "Me?"

Leafa retorts, with a sly sarcastic tone, "Do you know anyone else that's my 'royal sister'?"

Usagi looks at Mamoru and he tells her, with a warm smile, "I'm right here, Meatball Head. And it is okay." Usagi gives a nod of her head and she extends her fairy wings in which she struggles into the air, but when she starts to fall, Leafa grabs her hand.

Leafa says, "Whoa there!"

Mamoru extends his wings, flies up to Usagi, puts his hands on her shoulders, and he says, with a smile, "One step at a time, Usagi."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Right." Usagi then starts to practice to fly WITHOUT using the flight controller in which Kirito floats over to Asuna and extends his hand.

Kirito asks Asuna, with a grin, "Ready, Asuna?"

Asuna says, nervously, "Well…"

Yui tells Asuna, "Don't worry, mama! Papa is right here!"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Yes, you are right, Yui-chan." Asuna extends her wings and takes Kirito's hands causing a twitch of Lisbeth's and Silica's eyebrows as Asuna and Usagi start their lesson through they are quite unsteady at first.

Strea shouts out, excitedly, "Who's next?!"

Miyako says, "Whoa! Whoa! We have to take one step at a time!"

Strea says, with a giggle, "It will be okay! You have me to help you!"

Taichi says, nervously, "I'm not sure that it is reassuring, Strea."

Strea tells Silica, "How about you, Silica-chan?"

Silica says, nervously, "Me?!" Silica starts to walk away until Strea traps her by the end of the cliff and Silica says, nervously, "Wait, Strea…!"

However, Silica doesn't get the chance to say anymore as Strea shouts out, "Off you go, Silica-chan!" Silica yelps as she is pushed off with Pina, Dai, and Akari diving after her and after Dai and Akari extend their wings, they catch Silica mere inches from the ground in which Silica breathes a sigh of relief.

After seeing this, plenty of the others 'deadpan' and Yui says, with a solemn sigh, "Oh, Strea…"

Kirito says, with a nervous smile, "Strea wouldn't be who she is if she wasn't like that."

Asuna says, with a nervous smile and nod of her head, "I have to agree Kirito-kun." After Dai and Akari bring Silica back up to the others, they continue on with the lesson at a slow pace and the new players to ALO start to learn how to float/fly without the use of the flight controller in which some are doing better than others. Later on, Leafa is looking onto the distance and looking all of ALO that she can see from air in the area that she and the others that they are in. Just then Kirito, Mamoru, Asuna, and Usagi fly up to Leafa with Mamoru and Kirito helping Usagi and Asuna since they are still unsteady.

Kirito asks Leafa, "What's up?"

Leafa says, with a smile, "Just sightseeing, big brother."

Usagi says, looking around, "It is very beautiful."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yes, it is." Leafa says, with a sigh, "Over a year ago, you wouldn't catch me dead in a VRMMO and now…" Leafa says, with a sigh and solemn tone, "HE could have created an incredible 'new world'. ALO is testament to that."

Asuna says, nodding her head, "I agree."

Leafa says, with a sigh and plain tone, "Instead, he took that 'dream'…that 'new world' and turned it into a living hellish nightmare. It could have destroyed 'worlds' like these and they are still in danger. Even with the Amusphere and Sugou's plans for ALO not taking place, people are still afraid and doubtful. These 'worlds' are under a 'shadow'."

Kirito says, with a nod, "You're right, Leafa."

Leafa says, solemnly, "If anything like SAO happens again…"

Mamoru tells Leafa, "It won't happen again."

Leafa and Usagi look at Mamoru and Kirito says, with a nod, "Mamoru is right. We won't let it happen again and we can help ALO and other VRMMO leave the 'shadow of SAO'."

Leafa asks, curiously, "How?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "We're already doing it." Kirito looks at the others and when the others do so, they see the 'flight lesson' still going on. Kirito then says, "We are not letting SAO rule our lives and coming back into this world. The legacy of Full-Dive and VRMMO will not be in the 'hands' of Kayaba and SAO as long as we don't allow it."

Mamoru says, nodding his head in agreement, "Kirito is right. As long as we remember, but not let it rule us, we can help 'move on' beyond SAO." Usagi gives Mamoru a warm smile.

Lisbeth shouts out, excitedly, "Hey, love birds! Let's go already! I want to start our first quest already!"

Asuna says, with a smile, "Coming, Liz!"

As they start to float down, Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Look at me. Talking about preventing VRMMO from being destroyed when I tried to destroy them when I let my darkness take over. Do I really deserve a 'second chance' after all that I did? Do I have the right to enjoy this kind of incredible world when I tried to destroy them?"_ Leafa looks at her brother, 'royal sister', and all of her friends and she thinks, with a warm smile, _"I…I'm still not sure, but maybe…just maybe…I can…and no matter what, I will help them have a 'world' that they can enjoy. And maybe…one day…I will get new wings to fly even higher."_ Leafa then joins the others as the SAO survivors of their group prepare to tackle their first quests in ALO together.

 **The End…For Now**

Well, this tells the story of what happened when Suguha/Leafa first returned to ALO after coming back from SAO and recovery after **Hollow Fragment** and before the start of **World's Song**. It is the reason why this one-shot is so long. I wanted to make sure that I get the details right to match the progression of my two fanfictions' stories. I believe that I did a good job, folks. Okay, everyone, read and review to tell me what you think, but please no flames! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	8. Story 8: New World Dress-Up

From telling of the tales after **Hollow Fragment** , but before **World's Song** , we go directly into the time frame of **World's Song** itself. As you already know, during **Chapter 17** , our heroes and heroines got transported into Spira and after several minutes, they return back to Earth. However, the several minutes on Earth was several MONTHS in Spira! So, what happened during that time? Well, your questions are going to get start to be answered, everyone! First,I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 8: Spira Stories 1: New World Dress-Up**

 **Note:** This story takes place in the **Hollow Fragment** timeline and takes place around during time of **Chapter 17** of **World's Song**.

 _ **July 22, 2025, Japanese countryside**_

In the countryside of Japan, where there is a Japanese Shinto shrine, there is a battling going on where Heathcliff, also known as Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of the Full-Dive VR device known as the NervGear, and also the VRMMO game known as Sword Art Online in which he used to entrap around 10,000 people within for over two years in what is known SAO Incident where around 4,000 of them died. Included in the people that he trapped and survived Sword Art Online was none other than Sailor Moon AKA Serena Tsukino, who is Kayaba's niece in this life, but when Sailor Moon was Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom about one thousand years in the past, Kayaba was the 'lover' of Sailor Moon's 'royal mother', Queen Serenity, and her father. But right now, he is fighting against Sailor Celestial AKA Suguha Kirigaya, who is the reincarnation of Princess Serenity's younger sister from the Silver Millennium, Princess Selene, the Sailor Scout of Reality, and one of the main reasons for Sword Art Online: To awaken Suguha's power…All of it including the very essence of creation itself, Etherion.

Right now, as Sailor Celestial's friends/family/allies watched, Heathcliff and Sailor Celestial continue their intense fight and their clashing energies causing them to leap back, but then Heathcliff gasps in shock as he is grabbed from behind and restrained by Valkyrie Sailor Moon, who is missing her helmet due to her losing it earlier in the fight.

Sailor Moon yells out, strongly, "Now, Celestial, take him down now!"

Sailor Celestial shouts out, "I can't!"

Sailor Moon shouts out, "Don't worry about me! Just stop him once and for all! That's all that matters!"

The others are stunned and Sailor Mars yells out, stunned, "What are you doing?!"

Sailor Uranus says, worriedly, "Don't do it!"

Sailor Celestial shouts out, concerned, "I can't do it with you in the way! I won't…!"

Sailor Moon yells out, with tears in her eyes, "How many more people have to suffer and be hurt by this madman that dared to call himself our father when we were Moon Princesses?! How many more have to die like in Sword Art Online?! How many more people have to suffer for his greed and selfish as the families and friends of those that died in SAO? The people of Argus that have to live with the stigma of what he did? He destroyed the Silver Millennium and he destroyed four thousand mainly innocent lives? We can't let him continue what he is doing or roam free to let him do it again! We can't let him create second Sword Art Online! Please, Celestial, do it now!"

As the memories of what happened with Sachi and Diabel, from their point of view, and remembering what happened to Aaron, Sailor Celestial gains tears in her eyes and Kazuto, Asuna, Kotone, Rika, Keiko, the other Sailor Scouts, and Tuxedo Mask shout out in unison, horrified, "Serena!"

Sailor Moon yells out, in a pleading tone, "Celestial…DO IT NOW!"

Tuxedo Mask calls out, shocked, "Sailor Moon, don't!" Sailor Celestial, with tears in her eyes, roars out as she powers up and unleashes a powerful beam strike much to the shock of the others. However, Heathcliff roars out with power in which he blasts Sailor Moon off him and uses his Keyblade to strike back at the wave, but he is struggling to hold it back as Sailor Celestial pours on the pure elemental power. Then Heathcliff roars out with every ounce of his power and knocks the energy wave into the force-field containing the Queen's Gate causing it to suffer a major power surge. Heathcliff stumbles as the counter took much of his strength and Sailor Moon takes this one change with both of her Keyblades causing her to roar out as she charges at Heathcliff. Heathcliff swings around only to get plastered by a powerful blow from Sailor Moon that sends him flying into the Queen's Gate causing it to glow in a bright flash when Heathcliff hits it causing him to seemly vanish!

With what seems like the end of Heathcliff causes some kind of space-time storm to come from the Queen's Gate in which Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata grunt out in pain as some kind of energy is leaving their bodies.

Ino says, shocked, "Sakura!"

Kushina says, concerned and stunned, "Sochi!" But then Sailor Celestial, Davis, and Sailor Sun fall to one knee as a glow comes from them as well.

Veemon says, shocked, "Davis!"

Gatomon says, surprised, "Kari!"

Sailor Uranus says, looking at the Queen's Gate, "I think that the problem is coming from that."

Sailor Pluto says, looking at the Queen's Gate, "We must get away from the Queen's Gate now!"

Keiko says, nervously, "I think that's a good idea."

Rika says, with a nod, "No kidding." But it is too late as the surging Queen's Gate sends a powerful wave that engulfs everyone in light and when the light fades away, everyone, but the Leaf ninja of the group, with the exception of Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata, have vanished from the scene!

Tenten asks, "What happened? Where is everyone?"

Lee says, "Gone, Tenten! And the Queen's Gate as well!" Everyone left in the area see that the Queen's Gate is gone as well!

Kushina says, fearfully, "No, not again!"

Minato tells Kushina, "It will be okay, Kushina-chan. Naruto has friends and powerful friends. They will find their way back." Minato thinks in his mind, _"At least, I hope so."_

 _ **July 22, 2025 (Earth time); Unknown world**_

Asuna Yuuki slowly wakes up to find herself falling with Kazuto Kirigaya, Keiko Ayano, Rika Shinozaki, Kotone Takemiya, Sailor Orion AKA Shino Asada, Sailor Celestial AKA Suguha Kirigaya, Kazuto's younger step-sister/cousin, Tuxedo Mask, the Juuban based Sailor Scouts, Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, and all of the Digidestined and their Digimon partners in which they are unconscious. Asuna then sees that they are high up in the sky and they are falling fast.

Asuna thinks in her mind, panicky, _"What happened?! Where are we?"_ Quickly, Asuna realizes that there isn't time as they are falling quick and reaching terminal velocity in which she yells out, "Serena-chan! Suguha-chan! Wake up! Shion-chan! Someone! Anyone! Wake up!" However, the ones that could use the power of flight and then some to save them remain unconscious despite Asuna's pleads and yells in which she can see a massive body of water coming closer and closer. As memories of what happened through the start of SAO up to this point flash through her mind, Asuna thinks in her mind, _"After all of our struggles…all of our battles…is this how it ends for all of us? This is how we will met our ends? No! No, I can't accept them! I won't accept that! We've been through too much…suffered too much…struggled through life and death together! I won't accept this! I can't accept this! I will not allow this to happen!"_ Soon after, a golden five-point star sigil appears on Asuna's forehead and she is bathed in a bright glow in which the glow seems to wake up Sailor Sun and she looks towards her.

Sailor Sun thinks in her mind, _"Who…?"_ When the glow fades away, Sailor Sun is shocked to see a brand new Sailor Scout in front of her.

This newest Sailor Scout has Asuna's long chestnut hair in her hairstyle, but she has a five pointed golden star sigil on her forehead, light pink colored lips, golden star earrings attached to her ears, her head is covered in beautiful silver Y-style barbute armor helmet with a silver wing attached to each side of the helmet, she has white and red plate armor that covers her chest and waist and tightly fits over all of her arms, in the chest area of her armor, there is a broach that's a white heart shaped broach with a large golden star jewel attached to it with what looks like Rainbow Dragon surrounding the heart with a pair of crossed rapiers in the center as well as eight silver feathered wings attached to the sides of the broach, she has a red armored skirt with two rapiers similar to Lambent Light, Asuna's final SAO rapier, attached along with a weapon that looks like the Pink Samurai Ranger's Sky Fan, she has red armored kneepads, she has white armored high-heeled boots that goes up to one-half of her lower legs, and finally, she has beautiful glittering huge and fluffy silver feathered wings coming out of her back.

Sailor Sun thinks in her mind, shocked, _"Asuna?!"_ Soon after, Asuna transfers energy into Sailor Sun and she transforms into a brand new Sailor Scout forms as well.

Sailor Sun's new Sailor Scout form has her brown hair flowing down to the end of her back behind her back, she has a golden armored helmet in the style of Greek Thracian Helmet that has a piece covering the chin and connecting the two part that are covering the sides of her head along with a design of a mighty and majestic phoenix on the top portion of the helmet, she has pink eyeshadow on her eyelids, deep, full, and gorgeous shimmering pink lips, her fuku is now similar to samurai style armor that's so tightly covering her chest and waist that her strong feminine figure can be seen through not in an obscene manner, the armor is pure golden in color in which there is a new larger heart-shaped broach in the center in which the heart-shaped broach is golden in color with two crossed swords in the center with Black Rose Dragon and a majestic phoenix over the two crossed swords, a button on top, and ten wings attached to the broach, attached to the armor on her chest and waist, there are red armored gloves that cover the whole of her arms in which the armor looks like it comes from European knight armor with armored shoulder pads like Magnamon's shoulder pads covering over the armored gloves over the shoulder area in which armored shoulder pads are black with golden-red sun sigil in the center of each shoulder pad, she has thick armored pink bracelets over her now armored wrists with a shield like a Hoplite's shield attached to the left bracelet with the shield being bronze in color with a picture of the Winged Dragon of Ra in the center of the shield, attached to the chest and waist armor, there is an armored skirt that goes down one-half of her thighs in which the armored skirt is pink, golden, and red in color with a similar broach to one on her chest attached to the top center portion of the skirt, and she has thick armored high-heeled boots that goes just above her kneecaps with five inch knife-like heels. Attached to her skirt is a pair of Lightning's Omega Weapon Gunblades from Final Fantasy XIII, an exact duplicate of the Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger's Power Bow with the Crest of Light in rainbow colors on the bow, and she has eight huge and fluffy golden feathered wings coming out of her back.

The two new Sailor Scouts look at each other and they nod their heads in unison as they create an energy field that slows the fall of everyone in which most of the others wake up from their unconscious conditions.

Sailor Saturn asks, "What? What's happening?"

Yolei says, upon seeing the situation, "We're floating in the sky!"

When Tai looks at Sailor Sun, he asks, "Kari?"

Sailor Sun responds, with a nod, "Yep! New and improved VALKYRIE Sailor Sun at your service, Tai!"

There are gasps and Sailor Jupiter says, "Now, Sailor Sun is a Valkyrie Sailor Scout!"

Sailor Venus asks, looking at the new Sailor Scout, "But who is she?"

Sailor Pluto says, stunned, "Sailor Star!"

Plenty of the others look at Sailor Pluto and Sailor Uranus asks, "Sailor Star?!"

Sailor Pluto says, "As her name says, she is the Sailor Scout of Stars and she is closely linked to Sailor Sun and the Solaris Kingdom. Remember, plenty, if not all, of the suns in the universe are stars including the one giving light and warmth to our solar system."

Sailor Moon and Rika look at Sailor Star and they ask in unison, surprised, "Asuna?!"

There are looks of shock as Sailor Star smiles and Keiko asks, "Asuna is a Sailor Scout too?"

Sailor Orion says, "It looks that way. For some reason, this doesn't surprise me."

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, "Mommy!" Soon after, Yui, in her human form, floats over and hugs Sailor Star.

Sailor Celestial asks, shocked, "Yui-chan?!"

Sailor Jupiter asks, "What's she doing here?" Just then Sailor Moon yelps as she is hugged by Strea, looking as she did in SAO.

Rika asks, shocked, "Strea is here too?"

Strea says, excitedly, "Yep!"

Yolei asks, curiously, "Can somebody tell us where we are?"

Hawkmon says, "By the looks of things, we are high in the air over an ocean, Yolei."

Tentomon says, "I believe that's pretty obvious, Hawkmon."

Patamon asks, "How did we get here?"

Veemon says, "Good question, Patamon."

Gatomon says, "No kidding." Just then the group looks to see a strange red flying airship coming down below them in which float down onto it.

Biyomon says, "We're safe."

Sora says, with a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness." The new Sailor Scout, revealed to be Asuna's Sailor Scout form of Valkyrie Sailor Star, looks at the unconscious Kazuto, who looks like Kirito in his SAO avatar, in which she smiles before she collapses to the ground and transforms back into Asuna, looking like she did in SAO.

Yui yells out, concerned, "Mommy!"

Sailor Moon says, really concerned, "Asuna!" Sailor Moon goes over to one of her best friends from SAO and puts her into her arms while Asuna's broach from the chest armor clatters to the ground beside them.

Kotone asks, confused, "What's going on?"

TK says, looking over himself, "You tell us!" Plenty of the others then notice that those that were trapped in SAO from the beginnings were in their SAO style outfits.

Keiko asks, looking at herself, "Why do we look like in SAO?"

Tai says, looking around, "However, I don't think that we are in SAO."

Mimi asks, "Why do you say that Tai?"

Palmon says, pointing to the ship that they were standing on, "I think that's why Mimi."

When Mimi looks on the deck of the airship that they are standing on, Mimi says, a bit embarrassed, "I see."

Sailor Celestial asks, "Wait! If we aren't in SAO, then we are in a virtual world?"

Sailor Venus says, after making four swipes of her hand like she was calling up a menu in a VRMMO, "Nope."

Sailor Mercury says, with her computer and visor activated, "This isn't a virtual world or even a digital one like the Digi-World. We are in a flesh and blood universe."

Davis says, "Toto, we aren't in Japan anymore."

Yolei asks Davis, annoyed, "Really?"

TK says, with a grin, "You know that someone was going to make that joke sooner or later."

Just then everyone hears something and Patamon says, pointing in one direction, "Everyone!" When everyone that's still conscious looks in the direction that Patamon is pointing to, they look to see a door opening in which three figures are coming towards them.

Tuxedo Mask says, "We might get our answers after all." Soon enough, the group can see the three figures and they find that they are three young women.

The first one looks to be 19 years of age with shoulder length brunette hair tied in a long braid that goes down to her braids, heterochromia eyes with the left eye being blue and the right eye being green, pink colored lips, and she is wearing halter-neck top with a strange symbol across the chest and a pink hood, yellow armbands over her biceps, a black bracelet on her left wrist, and denim boy shorts. She carries a pouch on her left hip over an ankle-length blue and white sash and wears laced knee-high boots.

The second one looks to be 17 years of age with messy and long blond hair that braided and tied on the top of her head, green eyes with strange spirals in them, pink colored lips, and she has on a yellow G-string bikini and an olive green mini-skirt, carrying two pouches at her waist and ruffle sleeves. A long yellow and red scarf hangs loosely around her neck.

The third young woman looks to be 18 years of age with short silver hair, red eyes, and she is wearing a black leather ensemble complete with high-heeled boots, elbow-length gloves and a folded top.

The silver haired female asks, having her sword drawn, "Who are you? How did you get on our ship?"

Sailor Venus says, nervously, "It is kind of a long story…a better one if you don't point that sword at us."

The silver haired female says, "A group of weird people drops down on the ship and says that it is a long story, huh? I don't think that you understand your position here."

Sailor Celestial says, with a serious tone, "And I don't think that you understand yours if you threaten my friends."

The silver haired female asks, pointing her sword towards Sailor Celestial, "Is that a threat?"

Sailor Celestial responds, her eyes hardening, "No…" Then quick as a flash, the silver haired woman's sword is knocked into the air by Sailor Celestial's twin swords which are now around the neck of the silver haired woman causing Sailor Celestial to say, "It is a result of you not listening to my fair warning."

The blond haired woman says, shocked, "Whoa!"

The brunette haired woman says, stunned, "Paine!" The woman prepares to draw a set of pistols, but she then sees a blade pointed at her from none other than Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon says, "Sorry, but I can't have you doing that."

The blond haired woman says, shocked, "Yunie!" However, she sees a sword from Sailor Sun in her face and she says, with a nervous tone, "Ouch."

Sailor Sun says, a bit nervously, "Sorry."

Sailor Celestial asks, "So, are we going to go through a fight that we are going to lose or are you going to calm down to talk this over?"

The brunette haired woman says, nervously, "I think that we should talk."

The blond haired woman nods her head in a rapid and nervous manner in which she says, "I agree with Yunie." The silver haired woman reluctantly nods her head causing all three Valkyrie Sailor Scouts to return to their swords to their sheaths.

Rika says, with a sigh, "Something tells me that we aren't in Japan anymore."

Sakura retorts, sarcastically, "What give it away?"

Sailor Moon sighs and she thinks in her mind, _"What have we gotten ourselves into this time?"_

( **Later on** )

Lying down on a bed, we find Kazuto is slowly opening his eyes as he looks to see none other than Yui and Strea looking down at him.

Kazuto asks, "Huh?"

Yui says, excitedly, "Daddy, you are okay!"

Kazuto asks, weakly, "Yui? Strea?"

Kazuto yelps as Strea hugs tightly and Strea says, excitedly, "You are okay! I was so worried!"

Kazuto moans out, "I'm okay…I'm okay!" When Strea releases Kazuto from the hug, he asks, "What the? Strea, you look like you did on SAO!"

Strea says, "Yep!"

Kazuto asks, "Then where…?" When Kazuto looks around, he finds himself surrounded by plenty of the others within a place that has several bed and rugs on a platform overlooking a bar in which he sees Asuna in a deep sleep on one bed in which Kazuto says, "Asuna!"

Kazuto goes over to Asuna and Serena, looking exactly like she did as Usagi in SAO, responds, "She's okay, Kirito…Kazuto."

Kazuto says, stunned, "Usagi…Serena…" Kazuto then looks over himself and he is shocked to see himself looking like he did as Kirito in SAO and for a moment, he thinks that he is back in SAO, but he then sees Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, and the members of the Digidestined that weren't trapped in SAO along with all of the Odiaba Digidestined's Digimon partners with them.

Serena, knowing what Kazuto is about to ask, responds, "We're not back in SAO, Kazuto."

Kazuto asks, "Then where…?"

Just then a female voice shouts out, "Are you okay up there?" Soon after, everyone looks to see the three females that they met earlier come up to them.

Kazuto asks, "Where are we?"

Serena responds, "That's a long story, Kazuto." Soon enough, Kazuto listens in on what's going on and finds out that he and the others are in a world known as Spira in which the brunette is known as Yuna, the blond is known as Rikku, who is known as an Al Bhed, a race of humans on Spira that are known for their blond hair and spirals in their green eyes, and Paine, a mysterious member of the group that Yuna and Rikku belong to: The Gullwings.

When the explanation is done, Kazuto asks, "We got transported into another world?"

Suguha, dressed a lot like her ALO avatar of Leafa, responds, "That's about the short end it, big brother."

Amara says, "It is most likely due to the fact when Heathcliff hit the Queen's Gate."

Kazuto says, remembering, "That's right! Kayaba!"

Trista says, "We can't be sure what happened to him. The Queen's Gate suffered a massive energy surge from Suguha before Serena knocked him into the gate."

Hotaru asks Trista, "Could that by why we have been sent here?"

Trista says, with a plain tone, "I can't be sure, Firefly. Remember, Suguha is the Sailor Scout of Reality and she has incredible power especially since she is a Valkyrie level Sailor Scout. Her energies coming in contact with the gate…"

Suguha asks Trista, "Wait! Are you saying that my powers caused the Queen's Gate to go haywire?"

Trista says, "I believe that it could be part of equation, Suguha."

Davis says, "Well, I think that Kayaba slamming into it could be other part."

Amara says, with a plain tone, "No kidding."

Raye says, looking at Serena, "And you can blame this Meatball Head for creating this problem!" Raye bonks Serena on the head and she yelps as she holds her head.

Serena says, with a winch, "Ouch!"

Raye says, annoyed, "Don't 'ouch' me, Meatball Head! What's the big idea doing that big 'self-sacrifice' play? Geez!"

Serena says, with a solemn sigh, "Sorry, Pyro. It is just…just…"

Suguha says, with a sigh, "To be honest, I really don't blame her."

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "Same here."

Plenty of the others give surprised looks, but plenty of them also realize their reasoning behind it in which Serena says, "I trust him. I love him like a second father. And he takes something that I dreamed of…that plenty of others dreamed of. A new frontier…and he turned it into a prisoner…a nightmare. For two long years, I had to watch people die, turn twisted, and so much more. Something that was supposed to be fun and adventurous became a battle for survival. He destroyed my life in one lifetime and scarred my life in this lifetime. And not just my life…he scarred so many people's lives with technology that he could have performed miracles with. So many good people are dead…and he gets to come back to cause more trouble?! I…I couldn't accept that!" Serena's hands turn into fists and she says, "He doesn't deserve anything after what he has done! And I…I just wanted him out of my life! His shadow keeps following me every day…I…I…"

Suguha tells Serena, "I know you feel Serena." Serena looks at Suguha and she says, solemnly, "It was my power that he sought and it was my power that was used to forge the original Aincrad in the first place. Power of creation…I keep asking the question: What does it really create? For the only thing that my power just 'creates' is…"

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Sugu, you can't think that way."

Suguha looks at Kazuto and Rika says, "No kidding, girl."

Lita says, with a nod, "Yeah!"

Matt says, "Kayaba made his own choices doing what he did to the Silver Millennium and what he did with SAO."

Yolei says, with a nod, "Neither you or Serena have any responsibility in his choices."

Ken says, nodding his head in agreement, "Kayaba did what he did knowing of his 'past history' with you two and he had already considered what he did in SAO long before he remembered his Silver Millennium past. He did admit that. Even after he remembered and in fact, knowing about his 'connection' with Suguha and Serena, he still committed SAO."

Darien puts his hands on Serena's shoulder and he says, when Serena looks at him, "You have to stop baring his sins, Meatball Head. You can't let him rule your life."

Serena says, with a sigh, "I know…"

Raye tells Serena, 'bonking' her on the head, "No, buts, Serena!"

Mina says, with a smile, "That's right! Now, let's forget about him!"

Davis says, with a nod, "Right now, we need to figure out a way to get home."

Joe says, with a solemn sigh, "Something tells me that it isn't going to be easy."

Gomamon tells Joe, "Come on, Joe! Don't be a stick in the mud!"

Mimi says, with a smile, "Yeah, you have to stay positive."

Trista says, "Our return home won't be so easy. Remember, we were transported here by the Queen's Gate."

Naruto says, "Much like how Hinata, Sakura, and I came to Earth, believe it."

Agumon asks, "Didn't you say that it was hard to get between worlds when someone goes through the Queen's Gate?"

Trista says, with a nod, "Yes, but it isn't the only problem. It seems like all the chaotic energies from Queen's Gate has cut me off from the Time Gates."

Hotaru asks, "You can't access the Gates of Time?"

Trista says, with a nod, "No, Firefly. We are going to need to figure out another way to return to our world."

Joe says, with a sigh and solemn tone, "I thought so."

Davis says, "Geez, you say like we aren't going to get back. We've been through tougher before."

Tai says, with a nod, "That's right. We've been through tough scraps in plenty of our battles and found a way back."

Agumon says, excitedly, "Yeah!"

Gatomon says, "Something tells me that it is going to be quite an adventure."

Palmon asks, "When have we not been on such an adventure?"

Davis tells Kazuto, "By the way, dude, you should know that your girlfriend is a Sailor Scout now."

Kazuto asks, surprised, "What?"

Yui tells Kazuto, "It's true, Daddy. Mommy has become a Sailor Scout now." The others then explain about Sailor Star and when they were done, Kazuto looks at the sleeping Asuna with a look of surprise and shock.

( **Later on** )

On the bridge of the airship that our heroes and heroines are on, known as the Celsius, the group, along with Yuna, Paine, and Rikku, are on the bridge looking at three people.

The first is a male with green eyes exactly like Rikku's eyes, blond Iroquois styled hair, and ears adorned with multiple earrings. He wears long, gray pants held by blue-and-red suspenders, and black gloves with iron buttons and red-and-black cuffs. His chest and arms are heavily tattooed.

The second person is a dark skinned male with short blond hair, black goggles over his eyes, and wearing a dark blue sleeveless vest, blue pants, dark blue boots on his feet, and dark blue sleeveless around his lower arms and hands showing his muscular upper arms.

The third person looks to be a young kid/teen with a mask with an ochre visor, and a brown full-body suit with lime green mittens. His suit has a blue collar.

The dark skinned blond says, "It seems like our guests are awake."

The light skinned blond haired male with his hair in a mohawk gives a nervous look and Kazuto asks, "What happened with him?"

The dark skinned blond responds, "Oh, Brother tried to reprimand your sister from threatening Yuna and got his butt handed to him."

The mohawk male yells out, "I did not! They just got me by surprise!"

Rikku says, with a smirk, "And swung you around the bridge like a punching bag."

The young kid in the full bodysuit says, "After he begged for mercy, Buddy managed to call a truce."

The mohawk male gives a scowl, says something in a language that our heroes and heroines don't understand, and Paine says, with a smirk, "That's why I respect your sister."

Rikku says, with a grin, "Big time."

Kazuto looks at his younger step-sister/cousin and he thinks in his mind, nervously, _"Nice way to leave an impression, Sugu."_

Keiko asks Asuna, "How are you feeling Asuna?"

Asuna responds, "I'm okay, Keiko."

Rika says, with a grin, "Well, our 'Lightning Flash' is now a 'star child' too."

Asuna says, with an embarrassed blush, "Liz!"

Mina says, annoyed, "Well, all of the 'new girls' seem to get Valkyrie level forms and we're still stuck in Eternal."

Lita says, nervously, "Oh, come on, Mina-chan!"

Suguha says, pointing to Kazuto and Asuna, "Anyway, this is my big brother, Kazuto Kirigaya, and his girlfriend, Asuna Yuuki." Suguha says to Kazuto and Asuna, "Big brother, the young guy in the bodysuit is Shinra, the guy in the mohawk is Rikku's brother, ironically called Brother, and the last guy is Brother's best friend, Buddy."

Shinra says, "Ah, the so-called 'Black Swordsman' and 'Lightning Flash' that I heard about."

Kazuto and Asuna are surprised by this and plenty the others had embarrassed looks in which Kotone says, a bit nervously, "We had to explain a bit about our world."

TK says, nervously, "Mina-chan explain a bit…much."

Amara and Raye glare at her and Raye says, annoyed, "A bit TOO much."

Mina asks, nervously, "What?"

Ami says, "Anyway, we asked Shinra if his world knew anything about the Queen's Gate?"

Shinra responds, "There are a few Al Bhed legends concerning a 'mystical Machina' that allows users to go into other worlds."

Asuna asks, "Mystical Machina?"

Izzy says, "Machina is what they call machines around here. Over one millennia ago, this world, Spira, had a lot of advanced technologies like this airship. And there were huge advanced cities much like ours back home."

Yuna says, "That is until the arrival of Sin."

Kazuto asks, "Sin?"

Yuna says, "It was a force of destruction and death that ruled over Spira for around one thousand years. It was believed due to the evil of mankind that Sin was born to punish us."

Rikku says, "However, a few years ago, Yunie and I, along with some friends, found out the truth about Sin. He wasn't created from all the bad stuff that mankind did, but the greed and selfishness of one jerk in particular."

Yuna tells Rikku, "Well, Rikku…"

Paine asks Yuna, "Are you sympathizing with Yu Yevon, Yuna?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "In a way, yes. However, I can't condone what Yu Yevon has done since he put our world through a thousand years of suffering, but after learning the story, I can't help to understand why he did it."

Asuna asks, "Yu Yevon?"

Yuna says, "The last ruler of Zanarkand before it was destroyed. Before Sin, there were two Machina cities, Bevelle and Zanarkand, and they were fighting in what was known as the Machina Wars. Bevelle wielded powerful Machina weapons while Zanarkand had their powerful Summoners, people that bring forth powerful summons or Aeons as we know them today. However, Bevelle superior weapons continued to push back Zanarkand and soon, it will be invaded and destroyed. Yu Yevon, the last ruler of Zanarkand, knew that the end was near and decided on a radical action. He gathered the people of Zanarkand and turned them into Fayth."

Kazuto asks, "Fayth?"

Rikku says, "People's spirits sealed into stone statues by Yevon mysticism."

Asuna asks, shocked, "People sealed into stone statues?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes. To allow those spirits to remain in this realm and Yu Yevon and the people of Zanarkand created a duplicate of Zanarkand out in the sea off the coast of Spira. A dream give life itself. A 'Dream Zanarkand' that reflected the real Zanarkand in its prime and always at peace. In order to protect this 'Dream Zanarkand', Yu Yevon transformed himself into the fiend that we know as Sin. Yu Yevon became Sin and Sin was his weapon and armor to protect this Zanarkand. Yu Yevon knew that he wouldn't be able to control something as massive as Sin, so, he made sure that he programmed it…himself to make protect the 'Dream Zanarkand' and destroy any city that grows too large or has too much advanced Machina."

Kazuto asks, "So, Yu Yevon had no conscience control over his own creation?"

Yuna says, nodding her head, "None at all. The strain of maintain Sin cost him his human conscience mind. All that was left of Yu Yevon was a being only made to 'summon' Sin and that's all. In order to give people of Spira a chance for survival, Yunalesca, Yu Yevon's daughter, used the Final Summoning to create a powerful Aeon known as the Final Aeon which at the time was the only way to defeat Sin. The Final Aeon was the only force that can beat Sin and it can only be created by turning someone into the Fayth of the Final Aeon. However, the people turned into the Fayth must have a powerful bond with the Summoner: Best friends, family, or, in the case of Yunalesca, her beloved lover, Zaon. Yunalesca turned him into the Fayth of the Final Aeon and defeated Sin."

Mina asks, "So, it should have been the end of it?"

Amara says, "I don't think so, Mina-chan."

Yuna says, "No, it wasn't. You see, every time that Sin was destroyed, there is a period of peace, but at the end of that period, Sin is revived."

Rika asks, surprised, "Revived?"

Yuna says, "Yes, you see, the teaching made it believed that Sin was created by the evils of mankind and until people completely atone for their actions, Sin will keep returning until they have completed atone to allow the Final Aeon to defeat Sin for good. However, the truth is actually much different. You see, when Sin is defeated, the spirit of Yu Yevon possesses the Final Aeon and serving the connection between the Fayth of the Final Aeon and its Summoner which kills the Summoner in the process. Before we found this out, it was thought that the Final Aeon was so powerful that the strain of summoning the Final Aeon was the reason that the Summoner died from using the Final Summoning, the summoning to bring forth the Final Aeon. However, this proved untrue, it was the serving of the bond between the Final Aeon and its Summoner was what did it."

Rikku says, "And once Yu Yevon gets his hands on the Final Aeon, it turns the poor Final Aeon, namely the Fayth turned into the Final Aeon in the hopes of bringing real peace into the new Sin. However, this process took some time since Yu Yevon needs to get sufficient control over the Final Aeon and form Sin all around the Final Aeon as its core. The time that this took was called the Calm."

Yuna says, "After Yu Yevon created Sin and Sin's first 'defeat', the religion of Yevon formed which formed the belief that people's evil in using Machina for things like the Machina War was what created Sin and that by only 'repenting completely' would Sin go away for good. In fact, it was to keep the truth about Sin hidden and give people hope to make sure that they don't fall into despair."

Serena says, "A FALSE hope."

Yuna says, with a nod, "That's right. The temples of Yevon became the dominate 'power' over Spira for a thousand years since only the 'hope' built on these lies was the only 'hope' that they had."

Rikku says, "Until Yunie, I, and our friends found out the truth and beat it wide open!"

Yuna says, "Well, it took a long journey and I was like many other people that followed the ways of Yevon until I found out the truth about Yevon and Sin. It also took a difficult journey to find out the truth and the Fayth of the other Aeons helped us find Yu Yevon's spirit to take him out and destroy Sin for good." Yuna says, a bit solemnly, "It also took a lot of sacrifice…much sacrifice…"

Keiko asks Yuna, curiously, "Yuna-san?"

Yuna says, with a kind smile, "I'm okay. Just remembering my journey."

Davis asks, "Since the 'big bad' is done for, what's the heroine of this world doing these days?"

Yuna responds, "I really wouldn't call myself a heroine…"

Rikku pokes Yuna in the ribs and she says, with a grin, "Come on, you said that you wanted to chance, Yunie! Live life a little! Use that legendary High Summoner status to the fullest."

Yuna says, with a sigh, "Come on, Rikku."

Rikku says, looking at our heroes and heroines, "And it looks like we have quite a few heroes here too. It isn't every day that we meet people from other worlds."

Paine asks, with a plain tone, "How about NEVER meet people from other worlds, Rikku?"

Rikku says, with a pout, "Killjoy."

Shinra says, "With the truth about Sin and Yevon exposed, Yevon fell like a stack of cards which isn't too surprising. However, with the direction and order from Yevon lost, Spira was threatening to go into disarray due to the disillusion of Yevon. However, New Yevon and the Youth League have formed in their place, but the two sides and their ways of doing things have often have them come into conflict. New Yevon's theme is to do things 'one thing at time' and the Youth League to learn the secrets of Spira's past and share them with the world in order to better the world. In order to do that, the Youth League plan to gather spheres. Spheres are devices that have records of Spira's history within them since they have been used for thousands of years. However, the Youth League's need for radical reform have put plenty of people off since many people have been following the same ways for thousands of years and even with the truth of Yevon exposed, it was hard for them to handle the changes that are coming with the 'Eternal Calm' which is what Yuna's Calm is being called."

Buddy says, "The New Yevon organization was created in order to help people to adapt the 'new world' caused by Sin's permanent defeat by Yuna. As their motto states: 'One thing at a time'. However, it is said that they are hording the spheres that contain Spira's history and continuing the practices of the former Yevon faith or so say the opponents of New Yevon. The Youth League, being filled with the youth of Spira, are said to be 'thugs and hooligans' due to them wanting change and wanting it now. Can't really blame them since it became public that their way of living over hundreds of years was nothing, but a lie."

Rika says, with a nod, "No kidding."

Paine says, "It is the reason that Sphere Hunter groups like ours were originally formed. We were created to find the spheres that contain the history of Spira's past."

Shion asks, "So, you are like treasure hunters and the spheres are the treasure?"

Rikku says, excitedly, "Yep!"

Trista says, "And they may contain our way home."

Everyone looks at Trista and Hotaru asks, "What do you mean Trista-mama?"

Trista says, "This world is steeped in mysticism, spirituality, and technology. These spheres may contain information about technology or places where we can find or create a gateway back to our world."

There are shocked looks and Serena asks, "Are you sure, Trista?"

Trista responds, "With my ability to access the Time Gates gone, I believe that this is our only answer. Plus, young Shinra did mention that had legends of a 'magical machine gateway to other worlds'."

Shinra says, with a nod, "That's right."

Rikku says, "Oh! That's an old Al Bhed legend, Shinra. Pops told us that it was an old tale that the early Al Bhed created to give them hope of finding a home away from Sin and the Yevonities."

Mimi asks, "Why the Yevonities?"

Yuna says, with a sigh, "The Al Bhed rejected the ways of Yevon especially when it came to the restrictions on Machina and the people that followed the ways of Yevon, who were called Yevonities, which are the mainstream population of Spira, made the Al Bhed outcasts in society in which they were despised for rejecting the teachings because it was felt that they caused more sin causing Sin to keep returning."

Paine says, "When Yuna and her group exposed the truth, it was shown that idea was a piece of…" There are a few coughs from the others in which Yui and Strea were pointed to and Paine says, plainly, "…Rubbish." Rikku giggles at Paine and Paine punches her in the side causing Rikku to yelp.

Yuna says, with a sigh, "However, that 'animosity' still remains with some."

Buddy says, "Well, what are you going to do Yuna? It has been part of life for a long time and it isn't going to end overnight."

Rikku says, with a smile, "Yeah, but people are becoming more accepting of us and we are rebuilding our society."

Trista says, "However, with any legend or myth, there is always a grain of truth with it."

Michelle asks Trista, "You think that those legends are connected to the Queen's Gate?"

Trista says, "I believe so. While we don't know what happened to it, we may get some clues if we find more information. Also, as I have said before, this world is filled with mysticism, spiritualism, and technology, there might be a way for us to return home."

Kotone asks, "You really think so?"

Davis says, with a grin, "There has got to be a way! Like I said before, we've gotten ourselves out of plenty of messes before."

Kari says, with a smile, "I've got to agree with Dai-kun."

Yolei says, a bit concerned, "But we aren't sure how long it will take us to get back."

Trista says, "That's true, Yolei. However, we can't be sure that the same time will pass here as back in home. Since we are in a different universe, time may flow differently here than back on Earth."

Sakura asks, "So, months could be just days or even just hours back on Earth?"

Tai says, "It's possible. Back in the early days of the Digi-World, we were there for months and barely minutes passed in the real world."

Joe says, "That is until we had to 'reboot' the Digi-World after our battle with Apocalymon and then the Digi-World and Real World had similar time frames from then on."

Kazuto says, "Anyway, our main objectives is to survive in this world until we have a way home."

Rikku asks, with a grin, "Since you are going to be stuck here for a while, why not join us?"

Brother yells out, shocked, "What?!" Brother says, seriously, "No! No! I am the leader! I get to decide!"

Paine asks, pointing to Suguha and Amara, "You really want them for possible opponents? Seriously?"

Brother gives a nervous look, Amara and Suguha smirk at him, and Brother says, nervously while trying to sound unconcerned, "Feh! I'm not worried at all…but they seem to be quite competent, so, I will let them help."

Plenty of the others had a look that said 'Yeah, right' and Rikku says, excitedly, "Welcome aboard!"

Brother says, annoyed, "Hey, I'm the leader here!"

Paine says, with a sigh and annoyed plain tone, "Give it a rest already."

Davis asks, "So, where to first?"

Yuna says, "Actually, there is a little matter that we need to attend to first."

Shinra says, "A group has stolen something from us…namely something from Yuna."

Keiko asks, curiously, "Is there something we can do to help?"

Rikku says, with a grin, "Just leave it to us. No one steals from the Gullwings and gets away with it."

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time); Spira**_

In the second largest city of Spira, Luca, the port city that's the home of the stadium for the main sport of Spira, Blitzball, there is pandemonium as a concert seemly done by Yuna is interrupted by Paine and Rikku revealed that the 'Yuna' on the stage was a fake in which Rikku and Paine had to fight a small legion of masked goons chasing all over Luca port until they were confronted a by short obese shield wielding male named Omni and a tall gun wielding male known as Logos causing Paine and Rikku to fall in which the real Yuna appears, guns blazing, leaps in to aid her friend and put Omni and Logos down.

When they are defeated, a female voice says, "That's quite enough sniveling boys." Just then the fake Yuna, wearing an outfit consisting of a blue top, brown skirt, brown boots that nearly reach her knees, and blue 'sleeves' around her arms (A/N: Yuna's Songstress Dressphere.), walks over. Fake Yuna says, in a different female voice to Yuna, "Persistent, aren't you?"

Yuna says, "My grid."

Rikku says, angrily, "You give us Yunie's Garment Grid right now!"

Fake Yuna retorts, "Didn't you girls ever learn to share?"

Yuna says, irritated, "Give it back!"

Fake Yuna says, "Very well, it's yours." Fake Yuna took off something and throws it into the air, but it was caught by Valkyrie Sailor Celestial.

Sailor Celestial says, "Got you!"

Fake Yuna, as she starts to 'transform', yells out, shocked, "What the?!"

Sailor Celestial says, throwing the 'object' to Yuna, "Here you go."

Yuna catches the 'object' and she responds, with a smile, "Thanks." On the meanwhile, Fake Yuna's 'transformation' is complete and shows that she is another female figure.

This female looks to be a young woman with a round face with purple eyes and short, blonde hair. She wears a pink-purple robe that exposes her chest and a tattoo as well as her right thigh. The robe has a high, curved collar with tassels, and long sleeves reminiscent of a Japanese _furisode_ kimono, the cuffs separated from the ends of the sleeves by white crisscrossed material. She wears thigh-high stockings of the same color and purple ankle boots. Blue and white triangular and swirl patterns decorate her attire. She wields a red-and-silver fan in her right hand.

The woman that was a duplicate of Yuna says, "But it won't be long for yours love!"

Sailor Celestial says, landing on the ground, "Want to bet? You don't look so tough!"

The woman responds, "I'm tougher than a flying freak like you!"

Sailor Celestial says, with a grin, "Where did you get that comeback from? Lame, just like you!"

The woman yells out, strongly, "We'll see!" The woman attacks Sailor Celestial with her fan, but Sailor Celestial blocks the woman's attacks with her swords with ease. Yuna then transforms into the outfit that the woman was using earlier and used an attack known as **Darkness Dance** to blind the woman causing her to wildly strike everywhere in which Sailor Celestial uses this chance to strike back with a combo flame attack to her causing her to yelp, a shocking assault, no pun intended, with lightning style strike, and a finally, a spin kick that sends the woman flying backwards back into Ormi and Logos.

Immediately, the woman, once she can see, starts to run off and she yells out, "Next time, you won't be so lucky, loves!"

As Ormi and Logos escape with the woman, Rikku yells out, starting to follow, "Get back here!"

However, Paine looks behind her and she then says, "Rikku." When Rikku and Sailor Celestial look, they find Yuna dancing all over the place.

Sailor Celestial asks, a bit nervously, "I know that you are glad to get your stuff back, but is this really the time?"

Yuna says, unable to help herself to laugh excitedly, "I'm sorry…but I can't…control myself…" Yuna continues to dance due to something controlling her body, the Celsius pulls up to port.

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time); Spira, Celsius**_

On board the Celsius, everyone is assembled around Yuna as Rikku, Paine, Yuna, and Suguha explain what happened.

When they were done, Rikku says, with a smirk, "It seems like you were having a good time."

Yuna says, "I was. It felt like some other person's excitement just took over."

Shinra says, "That's what could happen when you use the Garment Grid. The emotions of the person recorded in the sphere pass onto the user."

Izzy asks, "So, the feelings of the person in the sphere could overtake the user of the sphere?"

Shinra says, "Exactly."

Rikku asks, "Isn't that dangerous?"

Shinra says, "I can't really say."

Buddy says, "It is your invention."

Shinra says, "I'm just a kid."

Rika says, "A kid genius, pal."

Brother coughs and he says, "Dancing Yuna. I want to see."

Davis tells Brother, deadpanning, "Dude, that's wrong on so many levels."

Brother glares at Davis and Ami tells Shinra, "Maybe I can help to make sure that we don't have more 'incidents' like the one with Yuna."

Shinra says, "Be my guest. In fact, I would like to discuss with you and Izzy."

Izzy asks, curiously, "Really?"

Shinra says, "Yes. Let's just say that learning about your world's technology has given me a few ideas and I am thankful for the scans that you allowed me to take of a few pieces of technology."

Yolei thinks in her mind, a bit nervously, _"I just wonder if it was a good idea."_

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time); Spira, Mount Gagazet**_

On top of the tallest mountain in Spira, Mount Gagazet, we find ourselves at mysterious ruins around the peaks of the mountain where Yuna, Rikku, and Paine land on a railing extending from the main ruins, but a look down causes a dizzy spell for Yuna and she falls over.

Rikku and Paine say in unison, shocked, "Yuna!" However, Sailor Star catches her and puts her on the railing with Rikku and Paine supporting her for a few moments.

Sailor Star asks Yuna, concerned, "Are you okay, Yuna?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes, I'm okay. Thank you."

Sailor Star says, with a nod, "No problem."

Rikku says, with a smile, "It seems like you are used to your new powers."

Sailor Star says, with a bit of nervous smile, "I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm a Sailor Scout."

Yuna asks, "Where are the others?"

Sailor Star says, "They are waiting up ahead. We, all, can't fit on there."

Paine says, "And not all of us can fly or have friends that can do the same."

Yuna says, "Let's go. The others are waiting for us." Yuna, Rikku, and Paine head over until they find an elevator type Machina and activates it in which it seems to start off nice and slow causing Yuna to say, "I wonder how safe it is…" Just then all three of them scream as it then plunges down fast before it comes to a screeching halt. Yuna says, woozily, "It stopped…"

Sailor Star floats down and she asks, concerned, "Are you all okay?"

Rikku says, "Disasterrific…" After dealing with Brother's frantic call on their intercoms, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine with Sailor Star join up with the others in which they see Kazuto, Kotone, Keiko, and Rika dealing with some fiends using their weapons and Sword Skills.

Kotone says, "It is good that we have our Sword Skills in this world."

Keiko asks, curiously, "But how come we have them in this world?"

Kazuto says, "Most likely, it has to do with the Queen's Gate."

Sailor Pluto says, "However, beyond that, we can't be sure."

Sailor Sun says, "We should get going." Our group gets going until they hear a female yelp from behind them.

Yuna asks, as she turns around, "Who's there?"

The group sees then sees the blond haired woman that's their leader of the group that Yuna, Rikku, and Paine along with Sailor Celestial fought earlier in which she says, "Leblanc. Remember that name well, loves."

Yuna says, "Ah, the thief."

The woman, Leblanc, retorts, "Whatever do you mean. That's what I hate about amateurs…"

Rikku says, "Maybe she will go away if we ignore her."

Sailor Jupiter says, "Don't count on it."

Leblanc yells out, annoyed, "You! I heard that! Just as I was saying: Amateurs! They have no concept of what it takes to be a true sphere hunter."

Sailor Moon asks, "A 'true sphere hunter' steals another sphere hunter's sphere like a common thief?"

Leblanc yells out, angrily, "Watch that pigtails!"

Yolei asks, "By the way, weren't you following us?"

Leblanc responds, "Following? A mere coincidence."

Ormi and Logos come up in which Ormi says, "You were right, boss, as always."

Logos says, "Yes. Following them has paid off."

Yuna and Rikku giggle and Sailor Uranus asks, with a sly smirk, "Mere coincidence, huh?"

Leblanc says, annoyed, "Laugh while you can."

Sailor Venus asks, confidently, "Three of you against all of us?"

Leblanc retorts, with a sly smirk, "Who said that we came alone?" Just then everyone hears noises from behind them in which they look to see a legion of Leblanc's 'goons', male and female, along with what looks like giant robot snakes with Gatling Guns for heads.

Sailor Mars tells Sailor Venus, annoyed, "You had to say it, Venus."

Sailor Venus sticks out her tongue and rubs her scalp nervously in which Tuxedo Mask says, "We'll take care of them. The three of you can handle the leadership."

Yuna says, with a nod, "Understood." As Yuna, Rikku, and Paine face off against Leblanc, Ormi, and Logos, the rest of our group face off against Leblanc's 'foot soldiers'.

Sailor Saturn asks, "What are those creatures?"

Sailor Mercury says, "They must be some kind of robot weapons."

Davis says, plainly, "It is kind of obvious since they have freaking Gatling Guns for heads!"

Our group get into defensive stances and Sailor Orion says, "Here they come!" Soon after, Leblanc's male soldiers, wearing green uniforms with claw-like weapons, while the female soldiers unleash different elemental magic spells at them with the 'gun snakes', known as Recoils, are firing tons of rounds at the others causing them to spread out. While the majority of our heroes and heroines fight against the male soldiers, Sailor Orion takes to the skies to take shots against the female soldiers and Recoils, destroying the Recoils, and knocking out the female spellcaster soldiers.

Naruto says, "Okay, I've had enough of this!" Naruto then performs his classic **Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu** and much to the surprise of Leblanc's soldiers, Naruto creates a legion of Shadow Clones that help beat Leblanc's troops back as Yuna, Rikku, and Paine beat Leblanc and her two lieutenants, namely Ormi and Logos. When they were done, the others rejoin Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, who have already beaten Leblanc, Ormi, and Logos.

Leblanc says, "And this is the thanks for going soft on you." She then throws a group of smoke bombs on the ground creating a large cloud of smoke.

Yuna says, annoyed, "Hey!"

Rikku asks, annoyed, "Who does she think she is?"

Paine says, annoyed, "She is getting hurt." Sailor Uranus uses her wind powers to blow the smoke away and everyone looks to see Leblanc and her lieutenants heading into an entrance of a cave.

Davis says, "Let's go after them!" Immediately, our heroes and heroines follow Leblanc and her group in which they are attacked by various fiends, monsters that are created from the tortured souls of people that died 'unnatural deaths' and the pain and anguish from their unnatural deaths twist them into these monsters, but when they get to the entrance, Logos leaps out and snaps his fingers causing our group to get attacked by another squad of minions.

Logos asks, sarcastically, "You look a tad flush. Why not stop to catch your breath?"

As Logos dashes away, Sailor Jupiter yells out, annoyed, "How about I kick your butt when I get you?"

Sailor Moon says, "Later, Jupiter-chan." The squad sent against them…Well, let's just say that it wasn't a challenge and call it that. The group goes through the man-made cavern with lights and have quite a few fights with some more fiends, but they aren't much of a challenge. Once outside of the cavern, they head down a path until Ormi stops them with another group of goons.

Ormi says, "Let's show the ladies and their weirdo friends a nice warm welcome."

As Ormi runs off, Yolei yells out, "Look who's talking you blob!"

Sailor Star tells Yolei, "We need to focus Yolei."

Rika says, with a grin, "We won't need to. Goons are always too easy."

One of Leblanc's female goons retorts, "We'll see about that brat!"

Rika tells Keiko, with a grin, "Hey, Keiko, let's try out our new tricks!"

Keiko asks, curiously, "Really?"

Mimi asks, "Are you sure?"

Rika says, with a grin, "It will be just fine!" Keiko gives a hesitant nod and the two of them as the two of them 'change outfits'.

Rika's new outfit looks like pink and cherry red version of Asuna's Knights of the Blood outfit with what looks like the Dark Repulser attached to her back with mace that has a silver handle and a head made of prism-like crystal.

Keiko's outfit looks to be a red and white version of Kotone's outfit from SAO with dark blue version of Rikku's twin daggers.

Mimi says, amazed, "Wow!"

Rikku says, with a grin, "You, girls, look like you are getting serious!"

Rika says, with a grin, "No kidding! Now, take a look at this!"

" **Fire Masher!** "

Rika's mace gets covered in flames and she uses against one of the Recoils that are attacking them and destroys it while Keiko uses her Thief Dressphere's thieving abilities to take items from her opponents while the rest take them out.

When they are done, Keiko asks, "Is it a good idea to take their items?"

Rikku says, with a grin, "Don't worry! They won't need them!"

Paine says, plainly, "In the infirmary." The group continues on encountering more fiends and more of Leblanc's 'soldiers' along the way until they reach a point where they find Leblanc hanging off a railing with Logos hanging off of her with Ormi hanging on Logos.

Yolei says, with a smirk, "What do we have here? I don't know what to call this."

Sailor Uranus asks, with a grin, "Ironic justice?"

Sailor Neptune says, with a smile, "Uranus-chan…"

Leblanc asks, annoyed and nervous tone in her voice, "Would you stop staring?"

Sailor Venus says, with a shrug, "Okay!"

As our heroes and heroines start to move off, Keiko asks, "Is it okay to leave her there?"

Rikku says, with a smile, "Don't worry! She will be just fine!"

Gatomon says, "I get the feeling that she is just like your typical comedy relief villainess and she won't die so easily."

Tai says, with a nod, "Yep! We're going to be seeing her again." The group ventures on until they arrive at the top of the ruins where there is a large open area leading to a door for some kind of chamber in which they stop.

Mimi asks, "Why did we stop?"

Kazuto says, plainly, "We aren't alone."

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, "We've got company."

Sailor Jupiter asks, "Where?" Sailor Moon, Sailor Celestial, and Kazuto look up in which when everyone else does so, they see a massive crab-like find hanging on the roof of the room up ahead.

Rikku says, nervously, "Figures that we run into something like this."

Paine says, seriously, "It comes!" The massive crab-like fiend, known as Boris, lashes out with its claws at Rikku, but Sailor Sun blocks with her armored arms.

Rikku says, "Thanks!"

Sailor Sun says, with a smile, "No problem!" Keiko uses her Thief Dressphere's ability to get some Gil, Spiran money, from Boris while Rikku uses her Thief Dressphere's abilities to steal items from the fiend.

" **Spiral Twister!** "

" **Pepper Breath!** "

Agumon and Biyomon help out with their attacks and cause some minor damage to the fiend.

Agumon says, "That guy is tough."

" **Vee-Head Butt!** "

Veemon leaps at Boris at high speed and slams his forehead into Boris causing him to stumble back slightly.

Davis says, with a grin, "Good job buddy!" However, Boris then unleashes some kind of stick thread that wraps up Yuna, Rikku, Kotone, and Yolei.

Yolei yells out, "Yuck! What is this stuff?"

Hawkmon says, "My words! Yolei!"

Yolei says, nervously, "A little help please!"

Sailor Celestial shouts out, "Hey, crab legs!" Boris turns to Sailor Celestial only to get blasted by her railguns before getting kicked in the face causing Boris to get distracted which allowed the others to free Yuna, Rikku, Kotone, and Yolei.

Yuna says, "Thank you."

Matt says, plainly, "No problem."

Mimi says, "Hmm, let me try something." Mimi's outfit then transforms into an outfit that resembles Yuna's Songstress Dressphere that she retrieved from Leblanc back in Luca expect that it is green where Yuna's Songstress Dressphere is blue.

Sailor Saturn asks, "What are you doing?" Mimi then uses a **Darkness Dance** to blind Boris and he lashes out wildly.

Rikku says, excitedly, "Way to go!"

Yolei says, "Great job, Mimi!"

Mimi gives a grin and Sailor Celestial says, "Let's do it every one!" Our group then unleashes an all-out assault on Boris and the massive fiend crashes to the ground as he turns into hundreds of pyrefiles to signal its defeat.

The door to the chamber then opens and Kotone says, "It's opening!"

Rikku asks, excitedly, "What are we waiting for?" The group enters the chamber in which they find a platform containing a sphere.

Kotone says, amazed, "Wow."

Yuna says, excitedly, "Found it." Just then the group hears footsteps behind them and they look to see Leblanc and her two 'associates' stumble into the room.

Leblanc says, "It's obvious to the trained eye. That sphere is a dud. Perfect for the Dullwings."

As Leblanc and her group leave, Sailor Orion says, plainly, "Sore loser."

Yolei says, with a nod, "Yep."

Kotone takes the sphere and Yuna says, excitedly, "We'll be taking this."

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time); Spira, Celsius**_

Back aboard the Celsius, the group has looked at the sphere that they retrieved and looks to be a video game of someone walking down a crowded street in Zanarkand talking about getting a ticket, obviously to some kind of show, and shaking someone's hand which is most likely the star of the show.

Yuna asks, "Think it is worth anything?"

Rikku says, "It isn't very exciting."

Paine says, plainly, "Junk."

Izzy says, "Maybe to you, but this sphere is around one thousand years old. We can confirm that it came from Zanarkand before it was destroyed."

Shinra says, with a nod, "Most likely."

Keiko asks, "What do you think that they were talking about?"

Rika says, "It sounds like he was going to some kind of show or concert."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "I think so too. And 'shaking her hand' may be most likely the star of the concert."

Mina says, excitedly, "Maybe he is talking about some kind of Zanarkand idol!"

Serena says, with a nod, "Maybe, Mina-chan."

Tai says, "Well, I think that sphere hunter and 'enthusiasts' around would like spheres that have a little more 'meat' on them."

Cody says, with a nod, "They are looking for ancient knowledge or ancient historical events. This could be about a historical event, but until we get spheres that are linked with this one, there is just too little information."

Shinra says, "True. But we can use this as a Dressphere."

Rika asks, curiously, "Really?"

Shinra says, "A Black Mage Dressphere."

Kazuto says, "The kind that can use elemental magic."

Shinra says, "Correct."

Rika says, with a grin, "Now, you are talking."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Oh, boy."

Suguha says, with a sigh, "It looks like we have a long way to go, big brother."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "True, Sugu."

Naruto says, with a grin, "Hey! We'll find a way back, believe it!"

Hinata says, with a nod, "Right, Naruto-kun." Sakura and Serena nod their heads in agreement with Serena nuzzling up against Darien in which our heroes and heroines look out into the Spiran skies ready for their adventures in this brand new world.

 **The End…For Now**

We have told the tale of what happened when our heroes and heroines first got to Spira in the first place and you already know how this ends. However, this is just the first of their 'Spiran Stories', but you are going to have to wait and see what comes next in which how they found a way to get home, everyone! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	9. Story 9: Coming Together and Meeting

Right now, in this next story, we, once again, return to the 'Aincrad arc' of the series and rejoin our Digidestined and Davis' big sister to find out what happened when they first became a guild. When they did form the Digital Knights guild in the first place? And when did they first interact with our Moon Princess, Black Swordsman, and Lightning Flash? Guess what everyone? You are going to find out those answers now! Okay, before I begin this story, I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 9: Digital Knights Tales 2: Coming Together and Meeting**

 **Note:** This story takes place in-between **Chapter 1** and **Chapter 2** of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **December 9, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Two**_

Out in the fields of the second floor of Aincrad, the floating castle world that's the 'setting' for the world's first Full-Dive VRMMO, virtual reality massive multiplayer online game, which now has been turned into a prison/death game for the survivors of the 10,000 players that were originally trapped inside, we find our five trapped Digidestined and Davis' sister in their virtual avatars of Taichi, Takeru, Sam, Miyako, Yamato, and Junpier taking on one of the cow-like/bull-like monsters known as a Trembling Ox in which Yamato got in a strike with his newest spear.

Yamato yells out, "Switch!"

Junpier responds, "Got it!" Junpier leaps and gives Trembling Ox a good bashing with **Power Strike** , a 1-hit One-Handed Mace Sword Skill combo, causing the Trembling Ox to give a snort as it shatters into hundreds of data pixels.

Sam says, "We did it!"

Miyako tells Junpier, "Way to go, girlfriend!"

Junpier says, with a smile, "Thanks!"

Takeru says, with a smile, "We're getting better at this."

Taichi says, "I think that's because we've started to adapt to this world."

Miyako says, with a solemn nod, "That's because of our experience in life and death situations in a 'digital world' before. Just because something is 'digital' doesn't mean that it isn't dangerous and real."

Sam says, nodding his head, "Yeah. The Digi-World and 'Real World' are linked together in which what happens to one happens to the other in which the Digimon were real with our battles in both worlds with our partners prove it." Sam thinks in his mind, looking up in the sky, _"It has been over a month already. Wormmon, you, with my parents, have worried about me a lot especially with what the Dark Spore did to me. How you, mom, and dad doing now?"_

Takeru asks Sam, "You okay?"

Sam responds, with a nod, "I'm fine, Takeru. Just thinking about…you know."

Yamato says, "Best not to think about too much or you won't be at your best, Sam."

Sam replies, nodding his head, "Right."

Junpier thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Over a month now. It is hard to believe that this is real…that this isn't some kind of nightmare…but it is real. I'm trapped in this virtual world away from my family and friends. I've never been too long without them. I hope that the squirt is okay. Never thought that I miss the day that we would be arguing."_

Junpier shakes her head to focus her thoughts and Yamato tells Junpier, "We're going to get home, Junpier. I promised you that we would go home and I don't intend to break it."

Junpier says, with a light smile, "Thank you, Yamato."

Miyako tells Junpier, "Best not to think about home too much or you might think subconsciously that this isn't real. You don't have same experience with 'digital worlds' like we do."

Taichi says, "This is our new reality now and in order to get out of this world, we need to take this seriously."

Junpier says, "Yeah, I know."

Yamato tells Sam, trying to change the subject, "Anyway, Sam, it was lucky that NPC got your Anneal Blade to plus six."

Sam says, with a nod, "No joke. I thought about upgrading my sword when we heard about the first player blacksmith, but…"

Taichi says, nodding his head, "After seeing him fail four times in a row and then he buys that spent sword for way more than it is worth…It just made me suspicious."

Junpier says, "What's suspicious about that? He could be a bad business person."

Taichi says, "While that may be true, let's just say that I've got a feeling."

Takeru says, "Based on the way that Taichi said it, I've got the same feeling."

Miyako says, "Anyway, we should head back before enemies respawn and cause us a headache."

Sam says, with a nod, "I agree. We've come prepared and we didn't have to use any of our potions just yet, but let's not push our luck."

Yamato says, nodding his head in agreement, "We did more than enough today." The group then starts to head back for Urbus, the main town of this floor of Aincrad, and once they enter the town, they see the display that they are in the 'safe zone', areas where players can't be 'damaged' by any attacks.

Miyako tells Junpier, "Anyway, I like your new armor."

Junpier says, with a grin, "Thanks. It looks great and it has the right type of stats boost that I needed."

Takeru says, "Speaking of boost, I just information from you-know-who about a quest that could improve NPC blacksmiths in upgrading our weapons."

The others look at Takeru and Yamato asks, with a grin, "How much you had to pay 'The Rat' for that?"

Takeru says, "Don't ask, bro." Takeru says, "However, it was worth it because she told me about an ore that pushes the upgrade success for a weapon with less than ten attempts to the max."

The others gasp and Taichi asks, stunned, "Are you kidding me?"

Takeru says, shaking his head, "Nope." Takeru says, nervously, "However, you might not like it. The quest is called 'Matador Miner'."

Miyako asks, nervously, "Matador Miner?"

Takeru says, with a nod and nervous tone, "Yep. She told me that it was a real headache for the 'White Swordswoman' who she asked to help research that quest."

Taichi asks, surprised, "Whoa! You mean SHE took that quest?"

Takeru says, nodding his head, "Argo didn't go into too many details, unless I paid her for it which I didn't, but it involved a lot of yelling, screaming, and rolling around."

The rest of the group look at each other with nervous glances and Junpier says, changing the subject, "By the way, I'm seeing some players with matching colored shirts lately. I wonder what is up with that."

Sam says, "That's the up and coming guilds, Junpier."

Junpier asks, "Guilds? You can form guilds here?"

Sam responds, "Not yet. From what I learned from other players, you can only start forming guilds on the third floor of Aincrad. You need to perform a special quest to get the right to form a guild."

Yamato says, "They are wearing the colors to tell themselves apart until they form a guild."

Sam says, "That's right. Once they formed their guild, they won't need the shirts since their HP gauges will display their guild symbol to show that they are part of a guild."

Miyako asks, "Who are these players?"

Sam replies, "They are mainly made up of the people that were part of the first-floor boss raid. They divided into two groups. The blue shirted ones are known as the Dragon Knights Brigade."

Takeru asks, "Dragon Knight Brigade?"

Sam says, with a nod, "Yep. They are being led by someone named Lind. He really must have admired Diabel since he took up his look after the raid. He dyed his hair blue and wearing a similar outfit that Diabel had or so I heard."

Taichi says, nervously, "Sounds like a real bad case of hero worship to me."

Sam says, nodding his head, "The other is the Aincrad Liberation Squad."

Junpier says, nodding her head at the understanding of the meaning of the name, "They have some grand plans."

Sam says, "They are being led by Kibaou."

Miyako yells out, "What?! You mean that big anti-tester jerk that nearly started a civil war between the former beta testers and non-beta testers?! Who's smart idea was to elect that bastard as a leader?! I mean seriously!"

Sam says, with a sigh, "I know that how you feel Miyako. Plenty of us do, but Kibaou shares plenty of sentiment of the players and from what I heard, Kibaou claims to plan to recruit those still down at the Town of Beginnings and try to share as many resources with the other players in order to help them advance to the front-lines as possible."

Takeru says, shaking his head, "He can't make promises that he can't keep."

Taichi says, nodding his head in agreement, "True, Takeru. However, based on what Sam says, he really meant what he said and the other players knew it which is going to rally him plenty of support." Taichi says, with a sigh, "Something tells me that he might be a big pain in the rear end, but he might have some decent leadership skills."

Sam says, "Well, both him and Lind better have good leadership skills. I heard that they are going to challenge the Field Boss today."

Junpier asks, a bit nervously, "It shouldn't be too hard, right?"

Sam says, "Well, the Field Boss isn't anything like a Floor Boss and it should take a single team to take it down…"

Yamato says, with a nod, "I know, bro. I have a bad feeling."

Junpier asks, curiously, "Why?"

Taichi says, "Diabel was the one that brought the group that battled the first floor boss and with what happened, it took a lot of charisma, bravery, and other vital leadership skills to bring them together. This guy had them in abundance which isn't too surprising that his death broke them apart. Now, two leaders have come in to take their place and since the group has split between them, it shows that neither one of those two, Lind or Kibaou, has the ability that guy had."

Yamato says, with a nod of understanding, "No kidding, Taichi. I've got a bad feeling that they are going to divide the players that are the 'front runners', the top players that can advance the game."

Takeru asks Sam, seriously, "What do you think?"

Sam responds, "I think that your brother and Taichi are exactly right, Takeru. From what I hear, these two…future guilds are going to be clashing in the future."

Miyako says, with a groan, "That's great."

Junpier asks, curiously, "Maybe we should become a guild and join the front lines to keep those sets of goons in check?" Everyone looks at Junpier and she asks, curiously, "What? What's wrong with that? Since we're going to be stuck together, we should form a guild. We've already worked together and you, guys, said it that you wanted to get up to the 'front lines' and help. Wouldn't it be dumb not to form a guild?"

The others look at each other and Takeru says, "You have a point."

Miyako says, nodding her head in agreement, "Yeah, you're right."

Junpier says, "Plus, we're plenty strong already."

Sam says, "It doesn't mean that we are ready for the big dungeons."

Junpier says, with a pout expression on her face, "Oh, please! Look, I get it! This is a battle of life and death, but I'm not an idiot and neither are any of you! The number of players fighting on the front lines is going to take like forever and we can't stay like we are for too long!"

Yamato says, with a sigh, "She has a point."

Taichi says, with a nod, "I agree, Yamato. We have to take risks or it is 'game over' for everyone. We need more players on the 'front lines'. I mean, even with players like Kirito-san or the White Swordswoman-san, we can't just rely on them alone."

Takeru says, nodding his head, "The higher we go, the harder the monsters and the harder the bosses will be. With the numbers of 'front line players' don't increase, no matter how good they get, eventually, progress is going to stall. Like it or not, we are going to need more 'elite players'."

Junpier says, "And you said it yourselves. You want to join the front lines to help speed things up and get us out of here." Junpier narrows her eyes and she asks, in an accusing tone, "Or maybe you think that I'm a burden since you have been through life and death experiences and I haven't."

Plenty of the others get nervous and Taichi says, nervously, "No…"

Junpier tells Taichi, "Don't bother, pal. I can see it plain as day." Junpier says, sternly, "Even after this whole month, you still think of me as that fan-girl. Well, I can tell you that I can be as tough as my squirt of a brother."

Yamato tells Junpier, a bit nervously, "It isn't that. You've had a nasty shock…"

Junpier responds, "It's been over a month already. I'm over it."

Takeru tells Junpier, "No way, Junpier. No one gets over a shock so easily."

Miyako says, holding onto Sam, "I've still got nightmares."

Junpier says, crossing her arms against her chest, "Well, I'm just saying that I can handle myself as well as my squirt of a brother if he was here. And I'm not here to prove anything. I'm here only to survive and get home as quickly as possible." Junpier says, "Yeah, I'm frightened as heck, but nothing is going to happen if I just stay in the Town of Beginnings crying and begging for the people that I love and care about." Junpier says, looking at her avatar's hands, "This is the situation and you, I, and the other players are trapped in. We can curl up and stay trapped with fear or we can do something about it. I intend to do something about it. I intend to fight and go home not letting this 'death trap' beat me. I WILL survive and I WILL get home." Junpier says, with a determined tone and look, "Alone if necessary. If the White Swordswoman, a newbie player, can become such an awesome solo player, then so can I if necessary."

Junpier stomps off into the distance and Miyako says, "Way to go."

Takeru says, with a smile, "She is Davis' brother all right."

Sam says, with a smile, "Yep." Sam says, "However, she has a point. Something tells me that those two groups of players in the front lines are going to cause trouble based on what we know. They could split the player community down the middle especially with more players that could be coming down the line. They are going to need a 'balancing force' to keep those two groups in check."

Taichi asks, curiously, "So, what about…?"

Sam says, "I think that we should stay together. We know each other well enough for one thing and she has proven herself over the past month."

Takeru says, with a smile, "And she is like her brother. She will be a solo player if necessary."

Taichi says, with a sigh, "And I don't doubt that she can. It is how long she can is what worries me."

Miyako says, "Then it is probably best that we work with her. Together we're stronger."

Yamato says, with a nod, "Let's talk with her." The others nod their heads in agreement and then head off to catch up with Junpier to talk with her.

 _ **December 10, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Two Fields**_

Back in the fields of the second floor of Aincrad, Taichi, Junpier, Yamato, Miyako, Takeru, and Sam are walking through a field.

Yamato tells Junpier, "Junpier, can we talk?"

Junpier responds, "What's up?"

Taichi sighs and he says, "It's about earlier, Junpier."

Junpier tells Taichi, with a smile, "Oh, that. I'm over it."

Miyako asks, surprised, "Already?"

Takeru says, amazed, "That was quick."

Junpier responds, "As I already said, I'm not an idiot, you know. I'm sure…I KNOW that I could handle being a solo player…at least for a while. But I know that I can't do anything myself forever. I'm not like that 'White Swordswoman' girl. And while I don't look like it, I'm a gamer too. In MMO games, there are limits of what a solo player can do and that's okay if it was regular game, but now, we're in a situation of life and death by a sicko who turned something that's supposed a fun game into a life or death struggle who is such an ass, he trapped a member of his own family in here with us." Junpier says, with a smile, "In this case, if you want to survive, it is 'all for one and one for all', right? That's the way that it is."

The five Digidestined are surprised and Miyako says, amazed, "Wow."

Junpier says, annoyed, "You don't have to be that amazed."

Yamato tells Junpier, "But it doesn't mean that you didn't have a point earlier, Junpier."

Junpier says, with a grin, "You better believe it, big boy."

 _ **December 10, 2022, Unknown world**_

At this moment, in another world, a young male with spiky blond hair, blue eyes, and three whiskers coming out of each of his cheeks sneezes.

 _ **December 10, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Two Fields**_

Back on Aincrad, the five Digidestined and Junpier continue on their walk and Junpier says, "Anyway, I have to say that we don't have to be like those dunderheads and rush to the frontlines even if we are ready."

Taichi asks, "What do you mean?"

Junpier says, with a grin, "I think that we're more than ready to join the rest of the crowd to get us out of here, but it doesn't mean that we can't build up our resources and be ready for anything."

Sam says, "That's a good point."

Takeru says, with a nod, "I agree. This isn't a regular game anymore. It is dangerous and one mistake could be your last mistake."

Yamato says, "And from what we heard, those two groups of players were fighting over the Field Boss like he was a regular mob."

Takeru says, with a nod, "No kidding, bro. If the White Swordswoman hadn't helped out, there could have been a death."

Sam says, "And right now, it is unacceptable in this SAO."

Miyako says, nodding her head in agreement, "No joke!"

Junpier says, nodding her head as well, "That's right!"

Taichi says, also nodding his head, "Agreed. Something tells me that those two, Lind and Kibaou, are going to cause major trouble."

Sam says, "And I don't think they are going to listen to the White Swordswoman. Since her 'identity' as Kayaba's niece has been exposed, players are going to be hard pressed to trust her."

Junpier says, with a plain tone, "Well, I say that's stupid. If he gave a darn about her, he wouldn't have allowed her to come here in the first place or at least, let her go."

Takeru says, with a nod of agreement, "It shows how much of a fiend that Kayaba truly is, Junpier."

Sam says, nodding his head, "True. However, since she is related to the person that ruthlessly trapped us here and lead to the deaths of so many players who were expecting a 'new adventures' not a battle for life and death, people are going to be reluctant to trust her. It is human nature." Sam says, with a sigh, "Trust me, I know."

Taichi tells Sam, "Enough of that Sam. That time is over."

Yamato says, with a nod, "That's the past. It is time to move onto the future."

Takeru asks, curiously, "Anyway, are you sure about this?"

Yamato says, "Yeah, bro. With what happened with the human blacksmith, I think that sticking with NPC blacksmiths is the way to go."

Taichi says, "However, it is going to be hit or miss with our weapons unless we get something to better our chances."

Yamato says, nodding his head, "That information about that upgrading ore from 'The Rat' is our best bet."

Miyako says, "Yeah, but will it be worth it? It sounds like one headache of a quest."

Sam says, "Well, we've got nothing better…" Just then they hear a loud bull-like roar and they look to see what looks like a wild west style rodeo with huge stalagmites coming out of the ground.

Miyako asks, nervously, "Is this it?"

Takeru says, with a nervous nod, "Yeah, I think so."

Taichi says, with a groan, "I think that this is going to be a LONG quest and I don't mean time wise."

Junpier retorts, with a sarcastic tone, "Gee, whatever gave you that idea?"

 _ **December 13, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Two Dungeon**_

Within the main dungeon of Floor Two, Miyako yelps out as Lesser Taurus Striker moves in with two-handed hammer.

Taichi yells out, "Watch out for its Numbing Impact!"

Takeru says, with a nod, "Right!" Lesser Taurus Striker then attacks them with its hammer and strikes the ground causing a shockwave in which everyone gets out of the way.

Yamato says, "Got him!" Yamato then comes in with a strike with a two-handed Spear Sword Skill causing the Lesser Taurus Striker to roar out in pain. However, the minotaur style monster manages to recover and prepares to strike back.

Junpier yells out, strongly, "Not so fast, you overgrown piece of beef!" Junpier charges in and uses a Mace Sword Skill that clashes with the massive hammer causing Lesser Taurus Striker's attack to fail, but also causing him to stumble back, however, Junpier does the same and Yamato manages to catch her.

Sam says, "I've got him!" Sam then attacks with a **Horizontal** , one hit One-Handed Sword Skill combo, and the Lesser Taurus Striker gives a bull-like roar before it shatters into hundreds of data pixels.

Miyako says, excitedly, "You got him!"

Takeru tells Sam, "Nice work, Sam."

Sam says, with a nod, "No problem."

Yamato asks Junpier, "You okay?"

Junpier says, "Just peachy."

Yamato tells Junpier, "That was crazy, Junpier!"

Junpier says, with a grin, "Hey, it worked."

Taichi says, with a smirk, "Now, I really believe that you are Davis' big sister."

Junpier asks, annoyed, "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Yamato says, with a grin, "Taichi means it in a good way." Yamato thinks in his mind, a bit nervously, _"Mainly."_

Junpier tells Miyako, "By the way, what got you freaked out?"

Miyako says, "He just surprised me. I didn't expect him to be so weird."

Junpier tells Miyako, "Girl, he is a minotaur. He is a staple in a lot of games especially fantasy MMO games."

Miyako tells Junpier, a bit annoyed, "Excuse me that this is my first time seeing one up close. I mean, sure! You see them on a computer or television screen, but this is a Full-Dive VRMMO game despite it being turned into 'real life' death trap."

Takeru tells Miyako, "Well, we have seen minotaur Digimon before, Miyako."

Miyako says, "Well, that's Digimon."

Junpier asks, "Doesn't Digimon mean 'Digital Monster'?" Miyako crosses her arms and gives an annoyed pout look while Ken comforts her.

Taichi says, "Anyway, we should get going."

Yamato says, "Thanks to that map data, we're going to catch up in no time."

Junpier says, "Yeah, it is shame that all the treasure chests were sacked."

Takeru tells Junpier, "Not surprising. The data came from those that already explored the floor dungeon already. They aren't just going to leave good loot out."

Miyako asks, "You think that they found the floor boss yet?"

Yamato says, "I'm hearing rumors that they might have."

Taichi says, "Maybe we should join in."

Yamato asks Taichi, "You think that we are ready?"

Taichi says, with a grin, "And why not? Thanks to that quest, our armor and equipment have really gotten a good boost."

Miyako says, with an annoyed tone, "Don't remind us, Taichi."

Junpier says, "No kidding, Miyako. Kayaba had a whole lot of bull to create that quest."

The others look and glance at Junpier for her remark and Takeru asks, with a sly smirk, "Really, Junpier?"

Junpier gives a nervous smile and she says, a bit nervously, "No pun intended."

Yamato says, with a smile, "We know. And we feel the same way."

Miyako says, "Well, it isn't surprising that he would do such a thing. We are dealing with a nut that trapped us in a 'death game' including his own niece that once loved him like dad from what we heard."

Taichi says, "Please don't bring that up. I'm going to get pissed off when I hear it."

Takeru says, with a nod, "We'll feel the same way."

Yamato says, nodding his head in agreement, "Ditto, bro."

Junpier says, "I really hope that we get to meet her."

Miyako asks, curiously, "The White Swordswoman?"

Junpier says, excitedly, "Yeah!"

Takeru tells Junpier, "I don't think that it is a good idea right now."

Junpier asks, curiously, "Why not?"

Sam says, "I doubt that the 'White Swordswoman' isn't in a good way right now. It only has been over a month since we have been trapped in here and just days that everyone else found out that Kayaba trapped a member of his own family in this prison. There is also the fact that she worked herself ragged trying to save as many other players as possible and during that past month, around two thousand people are already dead."

Junpier then gets the implications of what Sam is saying and she says, nervously, "Oh."

Sam says, "While I'm sure that she might be encouraged by any words of encouragement that you want to say, she must have been through a lot lately especially learning that her beloved family member trapped her in a virtual prison that was supposed to be the first VRMMO game now turned into a 'death game'."

Takeru says, with a nod, "I think that it would be pretty obvious, Sam."

Yamato tells Junpier, with a smile, "Anyway, it is for the best that you don't run up to her if you see her. I don't think that she is equipped to handled something that would be an 'awkward situation' for her right now."

Junpier says, with a sigh, "Okay…"

Taichi says, with a smile, "Anyway, let's keep conquering this dungeon. If we want to join the front line, we need to be ready to go through places like this and join in the big boss fights."

Yamato says, with a nod and smile, "Right."

Junpier says, "When we're done here, there is a quest that I would like to try."

Miyako asks Junpier, "What is it about?"

Junpier says, with a smile, "I think that it is going to be simple. It has to do with a farm…" As Junpier explains what she knows about the quest, the others get a feeling that the quest wouldn't be as simple as Junpier thinks.

 _ **December 14, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Two, Urbus**_

Back on Urbus, our group of five Digidestined and big sister of another Digidestined are assembled together and looking over their gear.

Miyako says, with a yawn, "Oh, man! What a night!"

Junpier says, "I thought that it would be like that quest that got that food item on the first floor!"

Taichi says, "Well, it wasn't."

Takeru says, with a smile, "But I've got to admit that part of the prizes that we got was quite tasty."

Yamato says, "True, but the quest took so long that we had overslept, bro."

Junpier says, nervously, "Sorry."

Miyako says, with a smile, "Hey, don't worry about it."

Taichi says, "Let's get going and see if we can catch up."

 _ **December 14, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Two, Dungeon**_

Within the main floor dungeon of second floor of Aincrad, our group is racing towards the doors that lead into the room that contains the floor boss for this floor for Aincrad.

Yamato asks, "You think that the defenses were a bit weaker than they should have been?"

Sam says, "Someone must have been rushing through here earlier."

Taichi says, "I hope that we are not too late." The group goes through the doors and they find that a large group of players is assembled together in the boss room with NO floor boss to be seen.

One of the players, a male with spiky hair, yells out, "Who the heck are you?"

Miyako asks, annoyed, "Who do you think we are jerk?"

The spiky haired player gives an annoyed glare, but another player, one with blue hair and wearing blue clothing mixed with armor, says, "If you are here to assist against the floor boss, we have just finished our battle against the floor bosses just a while ago. You were probably in the dungeon or the messenger that we sent hasn't gotten out of the dungeon yet."

Junpier says, annoyed, "Well, shoot."

Takeru asks, "So, why are you still here?"

The blue haired player responds, "There is a 'complication'. We just found out that there has been an upgrading scam going on recently."

Sam asks, "Upgrading scam?" The blue haired player, revealed to be Lind, one of the 'leaders' of the 'front line players', then explains about the Legend Braves and the upgrading scam that they used with Nezha.

When Lind is done, Junpier says, "Wow. Your intuition was right."

Yamato says, with a grin, "We have experience in that regard."

Taichi says, with a sigh, "Don't remind us."

Lind says, "However, the whole matter has been resolved and we are now auctioning off the powerful equipment of the Legend Braves to pay off their debts. Would you like to join us? There might be something that you could be interested in."

Taichi says, "Sorry, but we are heading into the next town."

Lind says, with a nod, "As you wish." Lind tells Taichi, "By the looks of you and your group, you are a strong group of players. Would you be interested in joining my guild? Of course, we aren't a guild, yet, until we clear the guild quest on the next floor, but the Dragon Knights Brigade could use dedicate and I believe, strong players like you."

The spiky haired player, none other than Kibaou, yells out, "Hold it right there! Don't think that I don't know what you are up to pal!" Kibaou shouts out, "You, guys and gals, should join the Aincrad Liberation Squad! Our name says it all! We're going to beat the crap of this game and we're going to help the other players that have a beef with it get their two cents in."

Miyako says, nervously, "Sorry, but we're not interested right now."

Takeru says, nervously, "Yeah. We prefer to stay together since we know each other."

Lind says, with a nod, "As you wish, but know that the Dragon Knights is welcome players just like yourselves especially once we have become an official guild."

Kibaou says, strongly, "Ha! Once they see the Aincrad Liberation Squad become an official guild, they will be joining by the droves especially once we help the other players get their ten pounds from this stinking game!" Lind gives an annoyed glance at Kibaou and our group look at each other, nervously, in which they give slight nods at some kind of unsaid agreement.

Taichi says, with a nervous smile, "Anyway, we'll be heading out."

Lind says, with a nod, "Of course. We hope to have your assistance on the front lines soon."

Kibaou says, "And you had better be as good as you! We don't need slackers here!"

Miyako thinks in her mind, annoyed, _"Whatever you glorified wind bag."_ Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, Sam, Miyako, and Juniper then take off for the stairs heading to the next floor in quick fashion for obvious reasons.

 _ **December 14, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Three**_

At the end of the stairway from the second floor dungeon that leads into the third floor, our group looks at the third floor which seems to be a vast forest filled with trees and greenery of all shapes and sizes.

Miyako says, amazed, "Oh, wow."

Juniper says, awe-struck, "It's so big and beautiful."

Takeru says, with a smile, "Yeah, it is."

Taichi says, "We should head for town."

Yamato says, "Good idea. Let's see if there is any better armor and equipment that we can get."

Sam says, with a nod, "I agree. We managed to max out my sword, but my Anneal Blade is only good for this floor up to the next floor at best."

Takeru says, with a smile, "Good point, Sam. It is only going to get harder and harder the higher that we go."

Junpier says, with an annoyed tone, "Don't remind us."

Miyako says, "I know how you feel, girlfriend, but it is truth."

Taichi asks, with a smile, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Sam says, "Let's be careful. I hear that the amount of monster spawns in the next floor after a floor boss is conquered goes WAY down to allow the players to activate the next gate, but it is only for half-an-hour at best."

Yamato says, with a nod, "Right." Our group then heads off towards the main town of this floor of Aincrad to explore the town as see if there is new equipment for the exploration of this and future floors that they could find.

 _ **December 14, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Three, Zumfut**_

In the main town of the third floor of Aincrad, Zumfut, Taichi, Yamato, Miyako, Sam, Juniper, and Takeru are wandering the streets of Zumfut and exploring around as they see more and more players from the lower two floors also appearing in the town.

Taichi says, "That stuff isn't cheap."

Sam says, "Well, it isn't too surprising since the equipment from the previous two floors will only last up to this floor or one more floor above."

Takeru says, "And that ore from that nightmare quest from the second floor will only help weapons that have under ten upgrade attempts."

Miyako says, "Quite a few of the weapons and equipment have more than ten attempts which means that ore is quite useless."

Junpier says, "Doesn't mean that we can't farm for col here and earn the money for the weapons and the upgrade attempts which the materials have to be around."

Sam says, "True, but it is going to be difficult since we only have NPC blacksmiths."

Takeru says, with a nod, "I agree, Sam. Good thing Taichi's 'feeling' was right."

Taichi says, with a 'knowing' expression on his avatar's face, "Yeah…"

Yamato asks Taichi, "What's up?"

Taichi says, "It is about those guys."

Miyako asks, "You mean the Legend Braves?"

Taichi says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Junpier says, "What I don't get is why they are doing that to the other players. I mean, in the end, it is only hurting themselves."

Sam says, "They were trying to close the cap being the top players and themselves, Junpier."

Miyako says, "Through in the wrong way. As Junpier said, in the end, they were only hurting themselves. We can't beat this guy with the way that they are now."

Takeru says, "As much as I hate to admit that someone like Kibaou is right about something, he has a point. We're going to need more players to help out as we get higher and higher and not just in combat roles."

Sam says, with a nod, "We're going to need merchant players to get the best stuff possible. As much as NPC merchants have stable prices, you are only going to get sell stuff at prices dictated by the system and it isn't usually at 'top dollar'. Plus, we're going to need player blacksmiths, especially later on, because NPC blacksmiths aren't exactly at the 'top of the game' despite their dwarf-like appearance would suggest."

Junpier says, "It sounds like you think that we are going to be stuck here for a while." Junpier says, with a sigh, "But then again, if we were able to get out here quickly, we would have been out of here by now."

Yamato puts his hand on Junpier's shoulder and he says, with a comforting smile, "All of us want to be hopeful, but we also want to be realistic."

Junpier says, with a light smile, "Yeah, I understand."

Takeru says, "However, the more players that come to the front lines, it means the greater the chances for…casualties which can't be afforded."

Junpier says, with an annoyed tone, "With those two guys leading the front lines, from what we heard and saw, it is going to happen sooner or later."

Yamato says, with a nod, "You have a major point."

Junpier says, "And that's why I meant what I said. You, guys, should be there leading the front lines. You've been in life and death situations before with my squirt of a brother. Heck, you, guys, helped save the world with my brother before!"

Miyako says, "Well, that was with our Digimon partners. We don't have them now."

Sam says, with a nod, "True, but I think that our 'human factor' added to our success as Digidestined as much as our own partners. I would love to have Wormmon with us right now, but I know that we need to do this on our own and use our experiences to help other players survive this nightmare."

Yamato says, "Which is going to be hard with the players on the front lines divided between those two especially that anti-tester jerk."

Sam says, nodding his head in agreement, "That's why Junpier's idea has merit. When those two have their groups become official guilds, they are going to need another guild to act as a 'balancing power' to keep them in check and focused on the goal of getting the heck out of here as quickly as possible without any deaths as well as try to keep 'in-fighting' between guilds down a minimum as possible."

Taichi asks, with a grin, "So, what do you say we find the guild quest and get this started already?" The others nod their heads and they head off to find the guild quest to get started on it.

 _ **December 15, 2022, Aincrad, Floor Three, Zumfut**_

The following day, within Zumfut, our group is assembled together with tired, but happy looks on their faces.

Miyako says, excitedly, "We did it! We actually did it!"

Junpier says, "It took a really hard quest to do it, but we did it."

Sam says, "It isn't surprising that it was really tough since this was the quest to create a guild after all."

Taichi says, with a smile, "Well, it is official, however. We are now the Digital Knights guild."

Yamato tells Taichi, "Where did you get off that name anyway?"

Taichi says, with a grin, "It is appropriate, isn't it? We have fought like knights to protect the Digi-World and our world after all."

Miyako says, "Those Dragon Knights might start screaming 'rip off'."

Junpier asks, with a smirk, "And we care why?"

Sam says, "Well, since we are the third official guild of Aincrad, there are going to be plenty of players looking at us…for all of the right AND wrong reasons."

Takeru says, with a nod, "Don't we know it, Sam? Anyway, we should get going. There is going to be a big meeting and something tells me that something big is going to go down."

Junpier says, with a smirk, "I can't wait to see those two nimrods' faces when they find out that a third guild is in town." Soon enough, our newly formed Digital Knights group then start to head off to meeting of the top players of the game on a strategy meaning for the third floor of Aincrad. Within a bowl-like assembly ground between three giant baobab trees, there is a group of players including Lind and Kibaou, but the players that are standing out is teenage male player with short black hair and black eyes on a delicate face with a notable black jacket, a teenage female player with long chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes hidden under a red hooded cloak, and finally, another teenage female player with blond hair in two long pigtail with buns in the shape of meatballs and gorgeous blue eyes, but they are hidden under a special hooded white cloak which hides the hair and facial features of said player. The male player is none other than Kirito, former SAO beta tester and 'beater', the red cloaked female is Asuna, a newbie in all sorts of term when it comes to SAO, VR, and games in general, and finally, the female player in white is Usagi, Kayaba's betrayed niece and who's actions in the game has started her to be called 'The White Swordswoman'.

At the start of the meeting, Lind and Kibaou announced that the Dragon Knights Brigade and Aincrad Liberation Squad were official guilds, the acronyms, current member lines, and a casting call for new faces. Lind and Kibaou then announced their 'recruitment drive' in which players to join the Dragon Knights Brigade are to be level ten at minimum and level nine for the Liberation Squad which seems to be Kibaou's attempt to 'one up' Lind and the Dragon Knights. But then Lind and Kibaou announced that with Kirito and Usagi, if one of them entered one guild, the other must enter the other guild with Asuna being allowed to enter either one after this 'matter' was settled with Kirito and Usagi.

Lind says, "We are well aware that our request is unreasonable. But I need you to understand this. Now that the top players in the game have been split into two camps, it is imperative that our two guilds eternally remain on good terms, working together in the pursuit of defeating the game."

Just then a familiar male voice booms, "Is that's what going on here?" Everyone then looks to see our new Digital Knights guild entering the assembly grounds with Taichi himself going to the center towards Kibaou.

Kibaou asks, plainly, "You again?"

Lind says, "You are those players that wanted to help out in the last boss fight, but you were too late. I, welcome you, to this meeting." Lind asks, "Have you and your friends reconsidered joining the Dragon Knights?"

Taichi responds, with a smirk, "Actually, no. I would like to introduce myself since we forgot to last time. I'm Taichi, guild master of the Digital Knights guild, the third guild of Aincrad."

There are gasps of shock and surprise, especially from Lind and Kibaou, in which Kibaou screams out, flabbergasted, "WHAT?!"

Taichi joins Lind and Kibaou in the center of the assembly and he says, pointing to an area in front of him, "That's right. And if you think that I'm joking, you should take a look at my HP bar." Lind and Kibaou look at Taichi's HP displayed in their 'player sight' where they see an insignia above his HP bar in which the insignia, the 'guild crest' is a monster in front of a yellow shield with two swords crossing it, in which Taichi says, pointing to the rest of Digital Knights, "And this is rest of the guild and my close friends: Yamato, my second in command, his brother, Takeru, Sam, Miyako, and Junpier."

The five other members of the Digital Knights wave and Miyako says, with a grin and waving, "Hey there! Sorry we were late! We just finished the guild quest to become an official guild. You know how it is!" Yamato, Junpier, Miyako, Sam, and Takeru take seats near Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi in which all three of them can see their HP bars.

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"They're a guild all right. They have a different crest than Aincrad Liberation Squad and Dragon Knights. It's official. There is a third guild…"_ Kirito then immediately looks towards Lind and Kibaou. The two of them have stunned looks on their faces and Lind's expression returns to stoic while Kibaou gives an annoyed look. Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Too bad, Lind. It is too late. There is now a third guild on Aincrad."_ The other players in the assembly are whispering and talking over the appearance of the Digital Knights.

Lind says, plainly and trying not to show his nervousness, "I see."

Taichi says, "Sorry about interrupting you there. We did recently finish the guild quest and came to join the front-line players."

Lind says, "If you are able to complete the guild quest just after the Liberation Squad and my guild, you must be a strong guild."

Taichi says, with a smile, "I don't want to brag, but we worked our butts off to get where we are. It wasn't easy since we are new players to the game and we had to get over our 'problems' that we experienced on the first day. You know how it is." Taichi's statements cause Usagi to hang her head low a bit, but Asuna puts her hand on Usagi's right hand causing Usagi to look to see a light smile on Asuna's face.

Kibaou says, with a plain and stern tone, "You can talk the talk, but it doesn't mean that you can walk the walk."

Taichi says, with a confident grin, "I can assure you that our actions will speak louder than our words." Taichi then looks at Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi and he says, "Anyway, we did manage to hear what you said and I would like to put my two cents in. My guild and I have agreed to open our doors to anyone to, but with no string attached. So…Kirito, was it? You, Asuna, and that 'White Swordswoman' over there can join our guild together no questions asked." There are more gasps from the other players in which Kibaou gets more annoyed expression on his avatar's face.

Kibaou yells out, annoyed, "Hey! What do you think that you are doing?"

Taichi says, his smile turning into a dangerous smile, "That's funny…" His expression turns into a deadly serious expression and he states, with a deadly serious tone, "That's the question that I should be asking you, two!" Lind and Kibaou then flinches from Taichi's expression and tone and he says, with a stern and commanding voice, "It should be a player's choice to join whatever guild that they want. Who made you the 'player police'? That's not your job as guild leaders! As leaders of guilds, it is your job to guild and lead your guild members to help them advance and grow in which, in this situation, you are also supposed to help them survive in this prison! You are also leaders of top players in this world and that means that you are setting examples for the other players that still in the Town of Beginnings or at least, nowhere the level to join the front lines which you can't blame them if they are afraid! However, what kind of example are you setting for them? Trying to divide the top players down the line saying that you can only go to this guild if that player joins that guild?" Taichi says, pointing to Usagi, "And let me guess: You are trying to 'turn' the White Swordswoman into a 'proper player', huh? It sounds like you are accusing her of some kind of crime. What crime did she commit? Just because she is Kayaba's niece doesn't give you the right to treat her like she is some kind of crook!"

Miyako yells out, with a strong and stern tone, "Newsflash, genius! If you didn't get it when you found out about her and I'm sorry that reopens a few 'wounds', but if that nutjob really cared about her, he would have logged her out the instant that this started or he could have prevented her from getting the game in the first place! He knew that she could have easily gotten it since she is related to him and he could have prevented that, but look, she is just like the rest of us…trapped in this nightmare!"

Plenty of the other players in the assembly look at each other and Taichi says, looking at them, "We don't have time for these type of 'power struggles'! If this was a regular MMO game, it would have been fine, but this isn't a regular game anymore! It has been turned into a 'death prison' and one wrong move is going to get us fried literally! And we can't stay in here forever! The longer that we stay, the more dangerous that it is going to get for us! If we bop heads, we're going to end up making mistakes and making a mistake here means that you are dead!" Plenty of the others, especially a tall African-American looking male player, nods their heads in agreement and Taichi shouts out, "We don't have time for these type of 'dominance struggles'! All of us have people that we want to get back too and so do the players that are in the two floors below us! So, what are we waiting for?!" The rest of the Digital Knights clap at this in which they are joined by the African American male player along with three others in which plenty of the other players can't help to applaud Taichi's speech in which Lind gives an emotionless look through his right eyebrow is twitching while Kibaou gives out a straight out irritated look.

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Ouch! They have been majorly been put 'in their place'. I would be worried about that guy becoming a target of the other two guilds, but something tells me that I really don't need to worry. This guy knows exactly what he is doing…like he has been in a situation like this before. It is silly, but this guy…he has the aura of a leader around him. He really has great potential."_ Kirito can't help to smile at Taichi along with the rest of the Digital Knights. Soon after, Kibaou starts to speak again with a speech about finishing conquering the floor within the span of a week and recruit more players from the lower floors in order to get out of SAO as quickly as possible among other things. At the end of the meeting, the Digital Knights is standing in front of Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi.

Takeru says, "You know all of that talk about speeding up the pace of conquest of this pace and bringing in more players to the 'front lines' is quite contrary."

Sam says, "Yes, but as much as we hate to admit it, Kibaou has a point. We can't keeping going with the numbers that we already have. We need more assistance up here."

Kirito says, "I've got to agree. With the numbers that we have, eventually, we are going to stall and we can't stall at all. The longer that we stay here, the more dangerous for us it is." Kirito tells Taichi, "You know that you might have put a bullseye on your backs with those two, but then again, it might be part of the reason that you did that."

Taichi says, "Hey, if it will keep them going forward and not bashing each other's heads causing people to die, then fine by me."

Junpier says, rolling her eyes, "No kidding. Who put those two in charge? Seriously!"

Sam says, "Like it or not, they do have some leadership skills."

Yamato says, with a sly smirk, "They just don't know how to use it right."

Asuna says, with a nod, "No kidding."

Miyako says, with a smile, "Anyway, it is nice to know that Junpier and I aren't the only girls on the front lines."

Juniper says, with a grin, "You must be really something to keep up with those two."

Asuna says, a bit embarrassed, "N-Not really."

Kirito tells Taichi, "Just be careful out there."

Taichi says, "Same here. Personally, I think that you like to live dangerous since you made sure that idiot, Kibaou, didn't murder all of the beta testers by taking all of the blame for them." Kirito gives a look of surprise and Taichi says, with a smirk, "Dude, we're not idiots."

Kirito asks, with a nervous smile and scratching his scalp, "That obvious to you, huh?"

Sam says, with a smile, "Yeah."

Takeru says, "Anyway, Kirito, just know that you aren't alone in this."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Thanks."

Junpier tells Usagi, with a smile, "Hey, White Swordswoman-san, we're rooting for you out there."

Usagi asks, a bit surprised, "Huh?"

Junpier says, with a smile, "Come on, girl! You don't think that we haven't heard what you have been doing for other players out there!"

Usagi says, solemnly, "It isn't enough…"

Junpier says, with a kind smile, "Not from the stories that I heard from players who you helped save."

Yamato tells Junpier, "Easy. You are making her uncomfortable."

Junpier says, nervously, "Oops! Sorry!" Junpier says, "But come on, you are only a human player in this game. You aren't a super-hero like Sailor Moon."

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"You don't know how wrong that you are."_

Miyako tells Usagi, "Anyway, White Swordswoman-san…And yes, we know that's not your player name. We, kind of, get why you want to keep your face and name hidden. Look, we just want to say that there are some players that have your back."

Usagi says, with a kind tone, "Thank you."

Kirito says, glancing around, "Sorry to be rushing off, but we have to get going."

Taichi says, "We get you. Hope to see you on the front lines soon."

Kirito says, with a smile, "Same here." Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna head off in one direction while the Digital Knights head off in another direction.

Asuna says, "They seem like a good bunch. I hope that they will do well out there."

Kirito says, with a smile, "They will Asuna. They are going to be a great guild. They may not be the best guild, but they are going to be a great guild."

Usagi asks Kirito, "How can you be so sure, Kirito?"

Kirito responds, with a grin, "Well, they have a good leader in Taichi-san. He really did tell Kibaou off."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I agree. He was quite impressive doing that."

Kirito says, "However, it is more than that Asuna. He carries himself like a leader."

Usagi says, with a nod, "I agree with Kirito, Asuna. Taichi-san really showed himself to be a leader. We saw it ourselves."

Asuna says, nodding her head in agreement and understanding, "Yes, you're right."

Kirito thinks in his mind, with a smile, _"They are going to be one of the great guilds here in Aincrad one day."_ Kirito gives a mental sigh and he thinks, _"However, I'm sorry, Taichi-san, but it is for the best that your friends and guildmates don't have someone like me mucking up your group. It is good to know that there are other players like Agil out there, but someone like me is just going to give you more trouble than you have right now. One day, other players are going to be looking up to you and your group along with another I know…"_ Kirito then glances at Asuna and in his mind, it makes Kirito determined that he sees that 'destiny' that Asuna is made for come to pass through he knows that the two of them may go their separate ways. Back with the Digital Knights, they are assembled together in the center of town.

Takeru says, with a smile, "Well, Kirito has a point and we have a target on our back."

Miyako says, sarcastically, "That's reassuring."

Yamato says, "Please! We've taken care of enemies worse than those two buffoons!"

Junpier asks, curiously, "So, where should we set up our guild headquarters?"

The other Digital Knights look at Junpier and Taichi says, "It is kind of too soon for that."

Miyako says, "Yeah, girlfriend. This is just the third floor."

Takeru says, "But that might be something to look into in the future."

Yamato tells Taichi, "So, fearless leader, where do we go from here?"

Taichi says, with a grin, "Well, we have a lot to prove to those other guys and gals out there. I say that we get started and show them what the Digital Knights are capable of." The other Digital Knights nod their heads in agreement and they start to head to prove themselves as a guild.

 **The End…For now**

Well, now, we have seen Davis' sister and the Digidestined form their guild, the Digital Knights, and I'm sorry that it didn't go into much more detail, but I really don't know what the guild quest entails other than what I read about in the Progressive novel. We also see how the Digital Knights met Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi for the first time and how their meeting went. You can also expect this to be part of the next Progressive story too. I hope that you have enjoyed this story as much as I did writing. Please read and review and no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	10. Story 10: A Faded Miraculous Light

Now, with Davis and Kari, all of you already know what the basic 'plot point' for those two are in this story series, but while you have had details on what happened to them during SAO, you really don't know how it really began…until now. It is time for the start of Davis' and Kari's 'tale' in this story series to be told. Now, once again, before I start, I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 10: A Faded Miraculous Light**

 _ **November 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Inside of the Odiaba District of Tokyo, we head to the apartment home of the Kamiya, home to Taichi 'Tai' and Hikari 'Kari' Kamiya, two of the Digidestined of Odiaba, where we find one female Kamiya, around 15 years of age, sleeping in bed, but she isn't sleeping peacefully as she is moaning and groaning in her sleep, sweat running down her eyes, and tears threatening to come down her eyes.

Kari moans out, "No…No…Please I'm not…I'm not…Get it off…Get it off…No…No…NO…!" Kari then gives a gasp and she wakes up with a start going into a sitting position.

Just then a male voice yells out, with great concern in his voice, "Kari!" Kari turns to see his big brother, Tai Kamiya, looking around 17-18 years of age, by her side with a really concerned look on his face. Her Digimon partner, the feline Champion Digimon, Gatomon, is sitting on her lap with a greatly concerned look on the feline Digimon's face.

Gatomon asks, "Are you okay?"

Kari looks around and Tai asks her, solemnly, "That nightmare again?" Kari couldn't answer her elder sibling, but she can only nod her head as tears start to flow down her eyes. Tai then gently hugs Kari and Kari buries her head into Tai's chest as tears flow down her eyes.

Gatomon thinks in her mind, worriedly, _"Kari…"_

Tai thinks in his mind, _"It has been around several years since that horrible day and I don't think that she and Davis have gotten close to start getting over it. Not surprising since it was a traumatic event. It was so bad that if Kari saw a gun in a book, she would start to go into a 'panic attack'. And Davis…Oh, Kami! It has gotten a bit better that they don't go into a panic if they see an image of a firearm, but they know that it isn't real just an image. If they even see a police officer with a gun, they got into a 'fit'. Davis seems better off than Kari, but I can tell that 'fire' that he once had has greatly faded. I wish that there was something that I could do for them, but I can't."_ Tai then looks at a device on a nearby table, a NervGear, VR device that allows the user to 'full dive' into all sorts of virtual games. Tai thinks in his mind, _"I can see why people would want to go into the virtual game worlds of the NervGear. An escape from physical reality…and all of its 'troubles'."_ Tai sighs as he gently comforts his sister and nearby, there is poster showing a strange flying castle world in the sky as well as a name 'Sword Art Online' as well as a date of November 6 of the current year which is the date that the game comes out.

 _ **November 6, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Right now, we are within another part of the Odiaba District where we find ourselves within an office-like setting where we find Kari sitting down on one of the chairs while reading a magazine with Gatomon in another chair by her side.

Gatomon says, annoyed, "Another one of these 'consoling sessions', huh? This is getting annoying."

Kari says, with a kind smile, "It isn't that bad, Gatomon."

Gatomon responds, annoyed, "Not that bad? Kari, these things haven't helped you or Davis one bit! I know since I've talked with Veemon…!"

Kari asks Gatomon, "You have been talking with Veemon?"

Gatomon says, "Well, of course…!" Gatomon then blushes and she tells Kari, "Kari, don't get any ideas! We are just really concerned about our partners, that's all!" Gatomon tells Kari, with a sigh, "And trust me, Veemon can tell that Davis isn't what he used to be. We worried about the both of you. It has been around a few years and you are still suffering."

Kari gives a solemn look and she says, with a weak smile, "It isn't easy, Gatomon. We went through…a big…event…" Just then flashes of 'imagines' come into Kari's mind including a pistol, screaming, knife, and 'something red' causing Kari's arms to wildly shake.

Gatomon, upon seeing this, yells out, "Kari? Kari?!" Kari then snaps out of her thoughts and she looks at Gatomon, who has a concerned look on her face.

Kari says, nervously, "Sorry, Gatomon." Kari thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Again. It has been a few years since that horrible day, but the instant that I even start to think about in the least…those imagines…coming back into my mind. Sure, yes. They were going to kill us. They were going to kill us all and Dai-kun and I were fighting to protect ourselves…to protect everyone…"_ Kari then shakes herself out of her thoughts and tries to focus on the magazine while Gatomon looks at the television screen with her eyes widening.

Gatomon asks, confused, "What this?"

Kari looks at Gatomon and she asks, "What is it, Gatomon?" When Kari looks at where Gatomon is looking, she looks at a flat-screen HD television hanging on the wall where it is showing a news channel where they are talking about the story about the players being trapped in SAO along with the over two hundred deaths of those that attempted to forcibly remove the NervGear causing Kari's eyes to widen in horror where she remembers that she allowed Tai to play the game while she is currently here. Kari says, shocked and horrified, "Oh, Kami…Tai!" Kari then drops the magazine, takes out a smart phone, and she calls her home. However, she gets an answering machine and when it allows her to speak, Kari says, worriedly, "Tai, please answer! Tai? Tai!" However, she gets no answer and a lot of worry comes over Kari's face.

Gatomon tells Kari, trying to calm Kari down, "Tai might not have gone online, Kari. He could have gone somewhere."

Kari responds, "Without telling me?" Soon enough, Daisuke 'Davis' Motomiya, around the same age as Kari, is walking out of a room with his Digimon partner, the blue dragon Digimon, Veemon, in which Davis has an annoyed look on his face.

Davis says, annoyed, "Geez!" When Davis looks at Kari, he sees the distressed look on her face and he asks, "Kari? What's wrong?"

Kari says, pointing to the television, "Davis, look!" When Davis looks at the television, he gasps to see the news report.

Davis yells out, shocked, "Damn! You are kidding me!"

Kari responds, shaking her head, "This is no joke! And…And Tai decided to borrow my game cartridge and log into SAO while I was here!" Davis gasps in shock and Kari says, worriedly, "I called home and Tai isn't answering!"

Davis says, with a serious expression, "Rats! And it isn't just Tai!" Kari gives a confused look and Davis tells Kari, "Matt, TC, Yolei, and Ken are also logging into SAO today!"

Kari says, worriedly, "Oh no!"

Davis tells Kari, "Kari, you try to get TC! I'm going to try Ken!"

Kari says, with a nod, "Okay!" Davis calls up his best friend among the Digidestined, Ken Ichijouji, while Kari calls up Takeru Takashi, called TK by his friends, but they are getting the same situation as when Kari phoned home.

Davis says, angrily, "Damn! No answer!"

Kari says, worriedly, "No answer from TK ever, Davis!"

Davis says, pushing button on his smart phone's screen, "I'm going to call Izzy."

After a short time, Izzy's voice comes over Davis' smart phone, "Yes?"

Davis tells Izzy over the smart phone, "Izzy, it's me!"

Izzy says, a bit surprised, "Davis! I thought…!"

Davis says, "Kari and I had an 'appointment', Izzy."

Izzy says, "I see."

Davis asks Izzy, "Have you…?"

Izzy replies, with a serious tone, "Yes, I did. I called Matt, but he isn't answering!"

Kari then says over Davis' smart phone, with a concerned voice, "Izzy, it's me! I lent Tai my SAO game cartridge to meet with Matt, TK, and Yolei!"

Izzy asks, shocked, "What?!"

Davis says, seriously, "Izzy, Kari tried to call Tai and TK! They aren't answer! Neither is Ken!"

Izzy says, worriedly, "Oh, Kami!"

Davis tells Izzy, "Call the others! We have to get to their houses now!"

Izzy responds, with a serious tone, "Right!" When Izzy 'hangs up', Davis gently grabs Kari by her hand causing her to look at him.

Davis tells Kari, "We need to get to your house now!"

Kari says, with a nod, "Okay!" Kari and Davis then take off with Veemon and Gatomon following behind them. As they are running, Kari asks, "But what about your house?"

Davis says, with a smirk, "Don't worry, I hid mine away! And besides, zit-face is an MMO fan, sure, but SAO isn't her style!" Davis tells Kari, "Right now, we need to worry about Tai, Ken, and the others!" Kari nods her head as she races off with Davis to get back to home and hoping that she is wrong that her brother could be trapped in a virtual game where dying there means dying in real life, but what Kari and Davis don't know is that Davis is going to be proven wrong about his sister, Jun Motomiya.

 _ **November 8, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Within the Odiaba District, we are one of the hospitals of Odiaba where inside one of the rooms, we find Taichi 'Tai' Kamiya, Kari's big brother and leader of the first Odiaba Digidestined team, lying down on a bed with a NervGear attached to his head and he looks like he is in a coma, but in fact, he or his mind is trapped in the virtual world of Sword Art Online. By his body's side, there is Kari, Joe Kido, and Sora Takenouchi with their three Digimon partners, Gatomon, Gomamon, and Biyomon.

With tears in her eyes, Kari says, weakly, "Tai…big brother…"

Biyomon tells Kari, "Don't worry, Kari. Tai is strong."

Sora says, with a smile, "We've been in worse scraps before."

Joe tells Sora, "True, but we had our Digimon partners to help us out. Tai, Matt, TK, Ken, Yolei, and Jun are trapped alone in there."

Sora gives an annoyed look and Gomamon tells Joe, nervously, "Not helping, Joe."

Joe says, nervously, "Oops."

Sora tells Kari, with a kind smile, "Tai, TK, and the others will be okay, Kari. They are strong. We have been through a lot and we have managed to not only survive, but save the world."

Kari says, weakly, "I know, but…but Joe has a point…we've always had our partners…to help us…"

Gatomon tells Kari, "That's true, but remember, we need you in order to digivolve. Without our human partners, there would be no way that we could stop fiend like Myotismon and Daemon."

Biyomon says, with a smile, "And due to your experience in the Digital World, you know that even through the place is 'digital', danger is still danger."

Joe says, with a nod, "That's true. That's true. We know that it doesn't matter if we are in a 'digital world' or because we have experience in a 'digital world', Tai, TK, Matt, Ken, and Yolei would know that if the danger is real, they will treat it as such. But what about Jun? She isn't one of us and thus, she has no experience in a situation like ours much less this."

Biyomon says, nervously, "I'm glad that Davis isn't here to hear that." Joe gives a nervous look as we leave the room where we find Davis looking at the comatose form of Jun Motomiya, his elder sibling who is around Tai's age and like Tai, she is lying in bed in a comatose with a NervGear fitting over her head to show that she is in the same 'condition' as Kari's sibling.

Davis clenches his hand into his fists and he says, with gritted teeth, "Damn it…Jun…you baka…I told you…that doing stuff like this is going to get you into trouble. Damn it!" Davis, with tears in his eyes, stomps out of his room as Veemon looks at Davis with concern.

Veemon says, worriedly, "Davis…" Soon enough, the Digidestined not trapped in SAO and their Digimon partners along with the Digimon partners those trapped in SAO, namely Agumon, Gabumon, Patamon, Hawkmon, and Wormmon, are assembled in the main hall of the hospital that they are in.

Patamon says, solemnly, "It just looks like TK is sleeping and not waking up."

Hawkmon says, solemnly, "Unfortunately, that's not the case, Patamon. They or basically, their minds are trapped in another 'digital realm'."

Mimi, who has returned to Japan from America, asks, concerned, "Is there anything that we can do?"

Izzy says, "For now, no. If we try to tamper with the NervGears, the trap that Kayaba set in them will go off and the safeties in the NervGears will disable causing the microwaves to completely destroy their brains killing them instantly. I dare say that he was plotting this for quite a while."

Cody says, with a nod of his head, "I agree, Izzy. I don't think that Kayaba did this on a whim. I think that he was plotting this for a while and most likely, he used the beta test of SAO to perfect his trap."

Izzy says, with a nod, "From what I learned, the government task force that's set up to deal with this disaster thinks the same thing. They are asking the remaining beta testers that didn't get trapped in SAO about their time in the SAO beta tester to see if they can get any clues from them."

Cody says, with a sigh, "I doubt that they will get anything through that route. Kayaba had this well-planned. I don't think that he will leave anything to chance."

Izzy says, with a solemn sigh, "You have a point, Cody. Kayaba is an incredible genius."

Davis yells out, angrily, "I'm tired of hearing how smart that fucking piece of scum is! What I want to know is what we are going to do about it!"

Joe tells Davis, "What can do we do Davis?"

Davis yells out, with an angered glare, "Something other than standing and do nothing!"

Sora says, with a serious tone, "Like what Davis? We are just as angry and worried as you are, but yelling at each other isn't going to help Tai, Matt, or your sister, Davis!"

Davis yells out, strongly, "Well, standing around and doing nothing won't get us anywhere either! I mean, can't we go through the internet or something like we did battling with Diaboromon?"

Izzy tells Davis, "We considered that possibility with Gennai, but he already sent in probes to test the defenses of SAO servers."

Joe tells Izzy, "Something tells me that the results weren't good, Izzy."

Izzy responds, with a nod, "Not good at all. The SAO servers are among the best protected computer systems that I have ever seen. There are defenses within defenses."

Davis gives an irritated look and Cody tells Davis, "We are all frustrated…"

Davis responds, strongly, "You don't know how I feel!" Davis then stomps off into the distance much to the surprise of most of the others.

Veemon yells out, "Davis, hold up!"

After Veemon has left, Mimi says, amazed, "Wow."

Cody says, with a sigh, "You can't exactly blame him."

Izzy says, with a nod, "Tai is his mentor as leader of the Digidestined, Ken is his best friend, and Jun is his sister."

Mimi says, nodding her head in understanding, "Three people that you consider 'precious' to your heart would make anyone go out of their minds."

Izzy says, "Anyway, I hope to learn something that we could also to at least connect with Tai and the others in the game when I join the taskforce."

Joe asks Izzy, surprised, "Wait! Izzy, you are joining the government taskforce set up to deal with this crisis?"

Izzy says, with a nod, "Yes. If I join up with the taskforce, I would be able to learn information that we could use to figure a way to connect with Tai and the others trapped in the game at least. Then we can focus on getting them out of the game or at least, finding a way into the game to help them."

Sora asks, "Do you think that they will allow you to join them, Izzy?"

Joe responds, "Of course, Sora! Seriously, Izzy is the smartest person that we know! Personally, he understands more stuff about the NervGear that the rest of us combined."

Izzy replies, a bit nervously, "I wouldn't say that."

Cody says, "Well, whatever the case, you are among the best for the job and I'm sure that they will allow you to work with them."

Izzy says, "I hope so."

Mimi says, with a smile, "I know so!"

Izzy says, with a plain tone, "However, I know that this won't be easy. Kayaba is a genius like no other and it is going to be tough."

Sora tells Izzy, "We know that you will try your best, Izzy."

Izzy says, "I hope that my best is good enough."

Mimi tells Izzy, with a smile, "Come on, Izzy! You are the smartest person that we know."

Izzy says, "While that's true, Kayaba is a rare type of genius. We can't underestimate him even if Gennai can't get through his system's defenses."

Cody says, with a nod, "Point taken, Izzy."

Joe says, "Well, most likely, you will be working with minds that just like you."

Izzy says, with a nod, "Most likely, Joe. They are going to bring in the best technical minds. Hopefully, together, we'll figure out a way to free everyone trapped there."

Cody says, "Tai and the others need to hold on until we figure out a way."

Izzy looks at Kari and he thinks in his mind, _"I really hate keeping this from them, but from what I'm hearing, increasingly people are dying every single day. And the numbers are rapidly climbing in which they have barely started on the first floor of SAO. For now, it is best to talk with the others when Davis and Kari aren't hearing this. Davis is already freaking out and Kari is right on the edge. If she learned this…"_ Izzy sighs as he decides to keep this information to himself until he can take with the others without Davis, Kari, and their two Digimon partners listening in.

 _ **November 9, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Inside of the Motomiya household, Davis is on the phone with someone and he doesn't look happy.

Davis yells out, angrily, "What do you mean that you can't do anything?"

A female voice responds, "What I'm saying is that I can't do anything right now."

Davis says, anger in his voice, "Did you know how hard it was to sneak my NervGear out to you? It was a good thing that I had that fake!"

The female voice retorts, "And who gave you that perfect fake?"

Davis yells out, strongly, "Washu, I'm not playing games!"

The female voice replies, "Well, neither am I. This is just incredible. Are you sure that Kayaba is human?"

Davis asks, "What kind of question is that?"

The female voice, Washu, retorts, "Kayaba has seemly prepared for every eventuality. Any attempt to bypass the 'traps' that he has set…I think that you get the idea."

Davis says, with a serious tone, "That wasn't the answer that I was hoping for, Washu. I thought that you were the 'greatest genius in the universe'."

Washu retorts, "I AM the greatest genius in the universe, I'll have you know! But even we, geniuses, can have our 'off days', you know!"

Davis says, with a sigh, "Washu…"

Washu tells Davis, "Look, Davis, I get it. We're all worried about Jun too. Anyway, I'll get to work on it, but the way that Kayaba designed this device is one thing. His work is flawless. I can see the genius in his design."

Davis responds, sarcastically, "Well, forgive me if I don't."

Washu tells Davis, "Anyway, I think that the NervGear will only be half of the problem. It is also the programming that triggers the trap that commands the NervGear to turn people's brains into well-done streak or fish. I'm going to need to get the programming of SAO for a chance to find a solution."

Davis says, "Well, I heard from Kari that my friend, Izzy, is joining the government group that's going to be working on this mess."

Washu says, "Good! Keep an eye on their work and see what information you can get! They may find something that could help my research! I am the most awesome genius that the universe has ever known, but I'm just cute genius with an incredible mind, there is so much that I can do. A genius like me knows that a little help goes a long way."

Davis says, with a nod, "Right, Washu. Got it." Davis says, with a sigh, "Thanks."

Washu says, "No problem. We're family in a way."

Davis says, "A real dysfunctional family."

Washu says, slyly, "Yeah, you have got a point on that." Washu tells Davis, "Anyway, about that offer to help with your…*clearing throat*…problem…"

Davis says, nervously, "Thanks, anyway, but I'll pass."

Washu says, slyly, "Okay, but I can tell that it would be a blast to try out my newest inventions."

Davis says, nervously, "For you, Washu." Davis then hangs up the phone and he looks at Veemon coming over.

Veemon asks Davis, "What did Washu have to say?"

Davis says, "She is saying that for the moment she is stumped."

Veemon asks, surprised, "Wow! Washu? Stumped?"

Davis says, with a nod, "No kidding, buddy. It makes me wonder about Kayaba. If his tech can cause Washu to scratch her head, then he is no joke."

Veemon says, with a smile, "I'm sure that everything will be okay, Davis."

Davis gives a sigh and he says, plainly, "I hope so buddy." Davis walks away and Veemon can't help to give a look of concern at his partner. Veemon can see that his partner doesn't have the 'fire' that he had before.

 _ **November 16, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

At school, Kari is walking down the hallways, there are plenty of other students that are just staring at her and gossiping in which Kari starts to hurry along, but when she gets to a corner, she starts to hear voices.

One of them, a girl's voice, says, "Hey, like, did you hear? The 'Bloody Angel' trapped her own brother in SAO!"

Another girl's voice retorts, "Like seriously?!"

The first girl says, "No kidding! First, she kills a yakuza and now, she is killing off her brother!"

Kari's eyes widen and her whole body starts to shake in which a third girl says, "People keep dying all around her! It isn't surprising that her own brother would die because of her!" She hears a group of girls' giggle and Kari turns to walk away with greatest of speed in which Cody is nearby where he sees Kari running off with a look of great concern on his face. Kari walks along, not exactly paying attention to where she is going, where she runs into Davis.

Davis asks Kari, "Kari?" Kari looks at Davis and he can see that tears are in her eyes in which she nuzzles against him. Davis is surprised and shocked by this, but he can't help to just hug Kari and comfort her the best that he can.

 _ **November 22, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Within the Motomiya household, both Davis and Kari are inside of the living room where we find them lying down on the couch in which Kari is lying down on top of Davis and the two of them are engaged in an intense and passionate kiss with Davis' arms and hands wrapped around Kari's waist.

Kari thinks in her mind, _"I…I can't believe that I'm doing this. But Davis' lips…so warm…his arms…around me…it feels so good…so comforting…I…I don't want him to let me go…"_

After a while, the two of them break off the kiss and Davis asks, a bit nervously, "Kari, a-are you sure about this?"

Kari responds, with a smile and nod, "Yes."

Davis thinks in his mind, _"Kari is so beautiful. Dude, I should be happy that the girl of my dreams is in my arms, but I…"_

Kari tells Davis, with a weak warm smile, "If you are feeling guilty, don't Dai-kun. I…I need you, Dai-kun." Kari then kisses Davis, again, and Davis' eyes widen in which he returns the kiss. When they break off the kiss, Kari says, with a weak tone and a tear coming down her eye, "Please…don't leave me, Dai-kun…don't ever leave me…" Kari nuzzles her head into Davis' chest and Davis then gently hugs her in which he strokes her hair.

Davis tells Kari, lovingly, "I'm not leaving, Kari-chan. I won't leave ever." As Davis hugs Kari, both Veemon and Gatomon are watching from the 'sidelines' in which the two Digimon look at each other.

 _ **November 24, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

All of the Digidestined that aren't trapped in SAO and all of the Odiaba Digidestined's partners are assembled together for an important meeting today with Agumon pretty 'bummed out' and for good reason.

Biyomon tells Agumon, "Agumon, it will be okay. Tai is a strong person."

Agumon says, "Yeah, I know. Tai won't let a situation like this get him down, but I'm his partner, I can't help to worry about him."

Palmon says, "I don't blame you. If it was Mimi…"

Mimi says, with a sweet smile, "Thanks, Palmon."

A few of the others give nervous looks before Izzy clears his throat and he says, "Anyway, all that I do know is that Tai and the others are okay as well as Davis' sister."

Cody asks Izzy, "How do you know that?"

Izzy says, "As you already know, I have managed to become part of the task force set up by the government to deal with the situation focusing on Sword Art Online. We managed to get a bit of data from the servers."

Kari asks, curiously, "You do?"

Izzy says, solemnly, "Yes, but it is VERY limited. All the information that we can get is the players by their avatar names, their real names, their levels, and where they are or were at different times as well as if they are still 'logged in'."

Davis asks, shocked, "That's it?!"

Izzy says, with a nod, "Yes. Any tampering that we fear that we might endanger everyone still trapped in the game."

Cody asks, "How much did Kayaba 'rig' the servers?"

Izzy says, "Very well in fact. Basically, we tamper with the servers too much and we can kiss every single surviving player goodbye."

Joe says, with a sigh, "We can't be too surprised by that. We already figured that Kayaba planned this out for a long time."

Izzy says, "That's what the government thinks and they also know that he fooled everyone ranging from Argus to even his own family. From what I learned, not even members of Kayaba's family had a single clue that he would do this. From what interactions that Kayaba had with his family members, they felt that he was a kind and gentle fellow despite being a bit 'eccentric', but they figured that was because he was such a genius."

Joe says, "Well, they have a point."

Izzy says, "Well, here is a real shocker. Kayaba trapped a member of his own family in SAO."

There are gasps of shock and Davis yells out, flabbergasted, "Say what?!"

Joe asks, stunned, "Are you kidding me, Izzy?"

Izzy responds, shaking his head, "No. I can't exactly confirm that anything because I managed to luckily overhear it. The government doesn't want this getting out for obvious reasons."

Cody says, nodding his head in understand, "Because of the family and friends that died might want to get revenge and this family member that Kayaba trapped might be a target."

Kari asks, "Wait! If that's true, wouldn't that family member that Kayaba trapped is a victim of Kayaba too?"

Joe says, with a nod, "True, but you know how people can be, Kari."

Davis says, angrily, "I thought that ass was sick before, but to trap a member of your family in there! Just…SICK!"

Cody says, "And it shows what kind of danger that Tai and the others are in and what kind of a person that they and we are dealing with. A man that doesn't put a care on life, maybe even his own."

Izzy says, "That's probably a good assumption."

Kari thinks in her mind, worriedly and solemnly, _"Tai…TK…Everyone…"_ Kari nuzzles closer to Davis and Davis gently hugs her in which plenty of the others notice.

Sora asks Izzy, "Anyway, Izzy, how is everything looking?"

Izzy says, "The move into the hospitals has been relatively successfully for all of the surviving people, but progress hasn't been good. I and my colleges believe that it isn't only the NervGear that we need to focus on, but it is also the programming of the game too."

Cody says, with a nod, "Good point. The game contains the coding that triggers the 'trap' that kills the person with the NervGear when they 'lose' in the game or it figures that someone is trying to remove the NervGear from the outside."

Izzy says, with a nod, "That's right, Cody. We already have NervGears in order to study them to figure out how they work and figure a way to remove them safely, but it isn't going to be easy."

Mimi asks, curiously, "Is it that hard?"

Izzy says, "Harder than I first thought. It seems like Kayaba had this planned ever since he made the NervGear in the first place."

Joe asks, "That bad?"

Izzy says, with a sigh, "Yeah. However, we're also working on other plans to find a way to communicate with the people trapped in the game."

Cody says, "That's a good idea, Izzy."

Joe says, with a nod, "For a lot of reasons."

Izzy thinks in his mind, looking at Davis and Kari, _"It is, Joe. However, it is best that I don't tell Davis and Kari that everyone is predicting the number of dead from SAO's first month is expected to be around two thousand. Normally, Kari and Davis would be shocked and horrified, but with what happened to them along with Tai, Matt, Ken, Yolei, TK, and Jun stuck in there, I'm not sure how they would take it."_

 _ **December 5, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Back within Motomiya household, Davis is talking on the phone with Izzy as Kari is preparing some kind of dinner.

Davis asks Izzy, over the phone, "Are you sure?"

Izzy says, over the phone, "Yes. Even through Tai and the others weren't part of it, the survivors finally managed to reach the second floor yesterday."

Davis says, with a sigh, "One down and ninety-nine to go."

Izzy says, "True, but it is progress. Sad the same, there isn't the same on our end."

Davis asks, "No luck?"

Izzy says, "No. Not even close, Davis."

Davis says, "Okay. Keep it at Izzy."

Izzy says, "I will, Davis." Davis then hangs up the phone as Kari comes over.

Kari asks Davis, "Who was that Dai-kun?"

Davis says, with a kind smile, "It was Izzy."

Kari asks, curiously, "What did he want to talk about?"

Davis says, with a smile, "The players in SAO managed to reach the next floor."

Kari gives a gasp and she asks, "Really?"

Davis says, with a nod, "Yep. And Tai, my sister, and the others are just fine."

Kari says, with a weak warm smile, "That's good."

Davis says, with a grin, "Told you that Tai was tougher than some stupid 'death game' and with Ken there, they are going to get out just fine."

Kari says, with a smile, "Yeah…" Soon after, the two of them head over to the dining table to start having dinner.

 _ **December 24, 2022, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Inside of the hospital that contains the motionless form of Tai as he lies in his hospital bed within the hospital room that he or at least, his body, is staying in, Kari is in with a card and a bouquet of flowers as she looks at her brother with the NervGear still attached to his head with IV wires attached to his arms as well as lying on a special gel-bed.

Kari says, "Hey, Tai, it's me." Kari goes over to the bed and prepares to put the flowers into a vase that's nearby. Kari then says, "I heard that you and the others have made a guild in SAO and you are together. You have started working as part of the top players in the game and you will hopefully be by the sixth floor around the time of the new year." Kari then starts to shed tears and she says, with a weak smile, "Anyway, I'm doing okay. It has been…hard. I've had Dai-kun with me. And yes, he and I have been together for a few weeks. If you said that Dai-kun and I would be together back in our days saving the Digital World from Ken when the Dark Spore controlled him, I would say that you are crazy. However, now…he…he is my new light in the darkness." Kari says, weakly, "I really miss you, Tai. Come back home soon." As Kari puts the flowers in the vase, Gatomon, who just entered the room, is looking over Kari with a concerned look on her face.

Gatomon thinks in her mind, _"Kari…"_

 _ **January 1, 2023, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

We are inside of the Kamiya household where we find Davis and Kari together as they are discussing something.

Kari says, with a smile, "It is a bit of good news."

Davis says, with a nod, "That's right. They managed to make it to the sixth floor now. Only just…ninety-four more floors to go."

Kari says, with a weak smile, "Yeah."

Davis says, "Hold on, Kari! Remember, the death rates have plummeted down."

Kari says, with a nod, "I know, Dai-kun. They must be adapting and your sister is with Tai and the others in which they have formed a guild."

Davis says, with a grin, "Yep, but I'm not sure how they are going to stand zit-face's gloating."

Kari tells Davis, with a smile, "Someone is calling the kettle black, Dai-kun."

Davis yells out, annoyed, "I do not!" Kari giggles as she nuzzles up against Davis and he embraces her back.

Kari tells Davis, "Happy new year, Dai-kun."

Davis tells Kari, with a warm smile, "Happy new year, Kari-chan. Don't worry, things are going to get better."

Kari says, with a smile, "I know, Dai-kun." The two of them enjoy their time together as they look up and out of the window with hope for the future.

 _ **Late February 2023, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Within Odiaba High School, we find ourselves within the courtyard of said high school where Davis and Kari facing off against a group of teens while other students look on from the shadows and other hiding places. The group of teens facing off against the younger Davis and Kari is being led by a burly and nasty looking teen with messy brown hair and ruby red eyes in which he looks like a 'punk'.

Davis yells out, annoyed, "Why don't you just get lost? Or maybe I should make you?"

The 'punk' leader responds, sarcastically, "Oh, I'm so scared of you and your killer girlfriend, Motomiya."

Kari says, annoyed, "Just leave us alone!"

The 'punk' responds, "Or what? Your precious big brother isn't here to help you anymore! Not surprising since you sent him to his death by getting him trapped in Kayaba's trap!" Younger Kari winches at that and the 'punk' says, "First, you kill off those goons and now, you, two, killed off your precious siblings! Some brother and sister you, two, are!"

Kari and Davis winch and Davis screams out, angrily, "I've had enough of you, jerk! I'm going to…!"

The 'punk' replies, interrupting, "You are going to what?! Nothing especially with this heat!" The 'punk' then pulls out what looks like a pistol and points it at Davis and Kari causing both of them to go wide-eyed with fear and Kari's body starting to shake violently while Davis gets nervously…I mean REALLY NERVOUS at the sight as horrible images of gore and death ring through both his mind and Kari's mind causing both of them to breath heavily in which she looks like she is close to hyperventilating.

The 'punk' leader of the group yells out, evilly, "Look at the mighty Motomiya now!" The group of bullies then hears footsteps and they look to see other students running off from the scene, but they just made their mistake and with one mighty yell, the 'punk' leader turns only to get bashed in the face and knocked to the ground by Davis in which, with a look of pure fear and desperation in his eyes, Davis starts to ruthlessly beat the 'punk' leader while the 'gun' falls to the ground in which the sound of it hitting on the ground shows that it wasn't a real gun.

As Davis ruthlessly beats the leader, one of them shouts out, "Hey!" The bully charges at Davis, but Davis, look of pure panic in his eyes, manages to grab the bully and much to his shock and horror, Davis ruthlessly throws the bully onto the wall causing the bully to suffer a broken arm and possibly concussion as he is knocked unconscious. Younger Davis then turns back to the 'punk' leader of the bullies and unable to stop him, Davis ruthlessly continues to beat the 'punk' leader of the bullies causing nasty injuries and Davis doesn't stop no matter how the 'punk' leader of the bullies begs and pleads if he is able to. Kari is slumped against the Kari, but not in fear of Davis. The gun and the traumatic memories that came with it are seared into her vision right now in which she is completely frozen and close to hyperventilating. Davis would continue to beat on the bully leader until he was grabbed from behind and restrained by a man in his late thirties and a middle-aged male through looking a bit younger than his age and tough and strong male come with security guards.

The man in his thirties yells out, pleadingly, "Stop, Davis-san! Stop! STOP!" Davis then stops and looks at the eyes of the man in his thirties while the other bullies look at the middle-aged male.

One of them says, "Principal-dono! Motomiya, he…!"

The middle-aged man, the principal of the school, gives a deadly stern tone and he responds, "Oh, I heard everything! Security!" He points at the bullies and the school security immediately force the bullies to the ground while also securing the gun. The principal looks over to Davis and Kari in which Kari is bending tended to by a young woman in her late twenties.

The woman asks, pleadingly, "Kamiya-san? Kamiya-san?! Kari-san! Kari-san, look at me! Kari-san?!" Kari looks at the woman with a panic filled look in her eyes and the woman says, "It's over. It's over, Kari-san."

The principal says, with a sigh, "Get Kamiya-san and Motomiya-san to your office immediately!" The woman and the man look at the principal and they nod in which they escort both Davis and Kari away in which the scene fades away.

 _ **Late February 2023, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Right now, within the principal's office, we find said principal looking at two sets of parents with Davis' and Kari's parents also in the room as the principal displays the fake pistol and a smart phone.

The principal tells the parents, "I believe that we have an understanding."

One of the two mothers shout out, angrily, "You think that you can blackmail…!"

The principal gives a deadly glare and responds, sternly, "Like you were doing with the Motomiya and Kamiya families after what your son had done! I've got evidence that your son knew of their 'condition' and used this on them on purpose to elicit a 'reply'. I also have special security cameras that recorded proof of this! While this isn't a real gun of sorts, it could be used to harm a person, so, there is a good chance for assault with a weapon." The mother gives a wide-eye look of shock and the principal asks, "Shall we take this to court?"

One of the two fathers shout out, "Well, my son…!"

The principal stares at the man with a deadly glare, causing him to be silent, and he says, interrupting, "And I have proof that it is your son that gave their son that weapon!" The principal then takes out a set of pictures and the two sets of parents gasp in shock in which the principal says, taking out a piece of paper and in a stern voice, "Your sons will be expelled from this school forever, this shall go on their records, and you will pay for all medical bills for yourselves as well as the Motomiyas and Kamiyas. Or shall we take this to court and have your sons sent to juvenile hall? Trust me, I have a few friends in the justice departments." The two sets of parents growl and they slump their heads into surrender.

The father says, with a nod, "We agree."

The principal says, with a stern tone, "In writing." Without hesitation, the two sets of parents sign the paper and when they are done, the principal says, "Now, leave and your sons are to NEVER set foot near this school, again. If they do…" The principal gives then a very deadly and stern look in which the parents rush out of the room.

When they are gone, Mrs. Motomiya says, "Thank you, sir."

The principal says, "It is no problem, Motomiya-san. You see, I've had an encounter with Yakuza and it wasn't pleasant to say the least."

Mrs. Kamiya asks, "What about our children? Are they okay?"

The principal gives a sigh and he says, "Physically, yes. However…"

Mr. Motomiya asks, not liking that part, "However?"

The principal says, with a sigh, "All that work that you have done over the years has been ruined by this." The Motomiya and Kamiya families give looks of shock and the principal says, "This one 'incident' reopened those emotional and psychological wounds and most likely, you will have to start from scratch."

Mrs. Kamiya says, fearfully, "No…"

The principal says, with a plain tone, "For the best, I think that it is best that you sent your children out of Tokyo."

Mr. Kamiya yells out, stunned, "What?"

Mr. Motomiya shouts out, strongly, "Send our children away! My daughter is trapped in that 'death game' thanks to that fiend, Kayaba, and so is Kamiya-san's eldest son too! Their daughter is all they have right now!"

The principal says, "And that's part of the problem." The Motomiyas and Kamiyas give wide-eyes of surprise and the principal says, taking out some files and folders, "On the day that SAO started, it was originally your son and their daughter that managed to get SAO, but thanks to some trust of fate due to that appointment, they weren't trapped in SAO, but their siblings were. I believe that they blame themselves for that and I've been hearing reports of students constantly 'taunting' your children of that fact." Mr. Motomiya and Mr. Kamiya give angered looks and the principal says, "Your reaction is very understandable. I'm not saying this to be hurtful and in fact, I am VERY worried for the health of your children. With this 'incident', these 'unruly students' will use this to inflict more 'mental harm' on Davis and Kari. If that happens, I can't be sure that they could ever recover." The Motomiya and Kamiya families look at each other with concern and the principal says, "For their own good, they need to be in a place where no one knows of their history. Where they can start again, fresh, and hopefully, heal."

The two families look at each other with concern, for several moments, and Mr. Kamiya asks, "How should we do this?" As the principal was discussing this with the parents of Davis and Kari, they didn't know that Veemon and Gatomon were listening into the whole thing.

 _ **Early March 2023, Tokyo, Odiaba District**_

Within the Motomiya apartment home, Davis is sitting on his bed and looking down as Veemon is on his bed with him.

Veemon asks, "Davis?"

Davis tells Veemon, with a sigh, "Veemon, I…I…Damn it all!"

Veemon tells Davis, "It isn't your fault, Davis."

Davis says, with a sigh, "You keep saying that buddy." Just then Davis hears a knock on the window and he turns to see Kari riding on Nefertimon at his window in which he asks, stunned, "Kari?!" Davis runs over to the window and after a short time, Kari is inside of Davis' room with Gatomon by Veemon.

Kari tells Davis, "Sorry for coming without calling, Dai-kun."

Davis says, "No problem, Kari."

Kari tells Davis, "Dai-kun, I don't want to leave!"

Davis tells Kari, "I don't like it either, Kari. I'm going to try to argue with my parents again."

Kari tells Davis, worriedly, "They aren't going to listen, Dai-kun! My parents are already convinced that I should be sent away…away from Tai…and away from you."

Davis tells Kari, as she nuzzles up against him, "Kari…"

Kari tells Davis, "Dai-kun, let's run away!"

Davis asks, shocked, "What?!"

Kari responds, "Let's run away together, Dai-kun."

Davis yells out, "Kari-chan, no way! Running isn't just what I don't do! I'm going to make our parents see that sending us off is…!"

Kari yells out, interrupting, "Dai-kun, my parents are going to ship me off tomorrow!"

Davis asks, shocked, "What?!"

Gatomon says, with a sigh, "It's true. Kari's parents are going to send her away to relatives tomorrow."

Davis gives a look of shock and Kari tells Davis, "Dai-kun, I don't want to leave you! After what happened with Tai, you and the others are all that I have left!"

Davis tells Kari, "I don't want to leave you either…"

Kari tells Davis, pleadingly, "I know that you hate to run away. You want to face things head on, but I…I…" Kari and Davis look at each other with Kari having a pleading look in her eyes in which she kisses him on the lips and Davis returns the kiss in which he hugs her. Veemon and Gatomon look at each other and they had a feeling on what their partners are going to decide. Later on that night, Mrs. Motomiya is coming to the closed door of Davis' room and she knocks on the door lightly.

Mrs. Motomiya says, "Davis, sweetie. It's me." When she hears no reply, she says, "I know that you are angry for sending you out to live with your uncle and cousin Tenchi, but we think that it is for the best." When she doesn't hear Davis' voice, Mrs. Motomiya becomes suspicious and she asks, curiously, "Davis? Sochi?" Mrs. Motomiya opens the door and she gasps to see that Davis wasn't in his room with stuff missing from his room in which she sees a note on the bed. She rushes over, grabs the note, and her eyes widen in pure shock and horror causing her to scream out, "Honey!" When Mr. Motomiya runs into Davis' room, he sees his wife about in tears and her son nowhere to be found.

Mr. Motomiya asks, "Sweetie?" Mrs. Motomiya just give her husband the note that she found causing him to gasp and he says, clenching his fist, "Damn it!" Mr. Motomiya says, "I'll call the Kamiya family! We'll find them!" Mr. Motomiya runs to the phone to call the Kamiya family and Mrs. Motomiya falls to her knees in tears while choking out Davis' name in a weak voice.

 _ **Early March 2023, Somewhere outside of Tokyo**_

Some distance away from Tokyo, we find Davis and Kari within a cave with Gatomon walking into the cave as Veemon is sitting by a fire.

Gatomon says, "There is no one nearby."

Kari tells Gatomon, "Thank you, Gatomon."

Gatomon tells Kari, "I really don't approve of your choice, Kari. However, I can understand why. To be honest, I think that Davis has become the last source of strength from you and I'm afraid for you and Davis. I don't like the two of you running away, but if you are separated, you can't ever regain the strength that you lost. You need each other."

Kari tells Gatomon, with a weak warm smile, "Thank you, Gatomon." Kari then tells Davis, with a weak loving smile, "And thank you, Dai-kun."

Davis says, "I really don't like this, but I…I don't want to lose you either, Kari-chan."

Kari says, with a nod, "Same here, Dai-kun. Ever since Tai, TK, and the others got trapped in SAO, you have meant so much to me, Dai-kun. I…I don't know if I could go on without you."

Davis tells Kari, "You are tougher than you think, Kari-chan."

Kari tells Davis, "I wish that I could agree with you, Dai-kun."

Veemon asks, "What about the others?"

Gatomon says, "We don't have much of a head start on them and they will be out looking for us. Izzy…"

Davis says, with a sigh, "I had an idea about that." Davis takes out his D-3 and D-Terminal and showing that his D-Terminal has a device attached to it.

Veemon asks Davis, "What's that Davis?"

Davis says, "A little something that I had a friend whip up." Davis then displays that his D-3 had some kind of device attached to the back of it and Davis says, "It is a special device that blocks the signal of my D-3 and D-Terminal from anything and anyone tracking them."

Gatomon asks, confused, "Where did you get that?"

Davis says, "A bright new Digidestined that I met a while back in Tokyo. You know that there are newer and newer Digidestined appearing every day, right? Well, I met one and he was quite a smart bulb. Not sure that he ever rivals Izzy, but he is quite smart. He created these and I managed to get my hands on a few after I helped him. Dude was all right."

Veemon asks, curiously, "Is that why when you went to the Digi-World to relax that you told me that we would be okay and the others wouldn't find us?"

Davis says, with a nod, "Yep, buddy."

Kari says, with a smile, "Dai-kun already attached it to my D-3 and D-Terminal too."

Veemon asks Davis, "Davis…?"

Davis looks at Kari and he says, "I really don't want to, but…"

Veemon says, with a smile, "We understand, Davis."

Gatomon gives a reluctant nod and Davis says, with a smile, "Thanks, buddy."

Gatomon asks, "So, where do we go?"

Davis says, nervously, "Got me."

Gatomon asks, "You really don't have a plan?"

Kari says, nervously, "I guess that we didn't."

Gatomon says, with a sigh, "Oh, boy."

Kari says, with a smile, "But we'll be fine, Gatomon. As long as we're together."

Kari nuzzles up to Davis and Davis says, with a nod, "Yeah." The two of them take a rest as storm clouds start to form outside and it starts to rain in which Gatomon can't help to wonder if this is some kind of sign or something.

 _ **Early March 2023, Unknown location in Japan**_

Right now, Davis and Kari are taking a rest at a clearing on the edge of a forest with Veemon and Gatomon coming out of the woods.

Davis asks, "Anything, buddy?"

Veemon says, "Not a thing."

Davis asks, with a sigh, "Now what?" Just then a soccer ball comes out of the woods and everyone looks to see a young pre-teen girl with brown hair in two pigtails and amber eyes emerges with a Tokomon come out in which the two of them are surprised.

After a few moments of silence and Kari asks, "Um, hello?" However, the young girl and her Tokomon run off in which Davis, Kari, and their two Digimon partners look at each other.

 _ **Early March 2023, Unknown location in Japan**_

Deep within some kind of facility, Davis, Kari, and their two Digimon partners are being lead around by a young man of around 16 years of age with well-groomed short black hair, brown eyes with small glasses in front of them giving a 'cute smart guy' look, and wearing a lab coat over basic grey shirt, blue jeans, and black shoes. With this young man, there is a small Ultimate Digimon known as Datamon with him.

Kari asks, "So, this place is where Digidestined that are orphans live?"

The young man responds, "Yes. All of the Digidestined are poor boys and girls that lost their parents through various kinds of means and they have nowhere to go…nowhere to turn to…"

Kari says, solemnly, "That's so sad."

The young man replies, with a smile, "Yes, it is. Other than their Digimon partners, they have no family. Here, they have one. Fellow Digidestined children just like them."

Davis says, "Luke-san, dude, it must be one heck of an operation."

Datamon replies, in a robotic tone of voice, "Indeed, human. Food, shelter, living arrangements, and more. The costs are quite significant."

The young man, Luke, says, "However, the price is insignificant since we are caring for our fellow Digidestined."

Davis says, with a nod, "No joke, man."

Luke says, "Anyway, I'm curious to find two of the legendary Digidestined from Odiaba around here."

Davis, Kari, and their Digimon partners give looks of surprise and Gatomon asks, a bit suspiciously, "How do you know that we are from Odiaba?"

Datamon responds, "Isn't it obvious? You are the beginning. Other than the Digidestined that came before the elder group from Odiaba, the Digidestined of Odiaba were among the first of the Digidestined and from their battles, the number of Digidestined grew an incredible amount."

Kari asks, "Like those that saw our battles with Diaboromon and Myotismon?"

Datamon says, "And those that were watching the battles around the world during the chaos when Digimon were thrown into the real world due to the Dark Spires as well as when Diaboromon returned for his revenge against you." Datamon says, "The Digimon know you well for saving us from the Digimon Emperor and the Dark Masters and they know who your partners are." Datamon says, looking at Veemon, "Veemon is a legendary Digimon of ancient times and said to be a myth. Yet, he has been revealed to be real and partnered with a human from the human city of Tokyo within the area of the city known as Odiaba. It is a well-known fact among Digimon and the Digidestined that came after you."

Gatomon says, "Well, he has a point." Gatomon says, looking at Veemon, "You were thought to be a mythical Digimon of legend, Veemon. Since it is known that you are partnered with Davis, a Digidestined from Odiaba, it is quite obvious that anyone with half-a-brain can figure that out."

Veemon says, nervously, "I guess that I do stand out."

Luke asks, with a smile, "So, what are two of the Digidestined that saved the Digi-World and the Real World so many times are doing out here?"

Davis, Kari, and their Digimon partners look at each other and Davis says, nervously, "It is quite a long story, Luke-san."

Kari asks, "Could you please listen to our story?"

Luke says, with a nod, "Sure." Davis and Kari look at each other and after they nod at some kind of agreement, the two of them start to explain to Luke their story.

( **During the night** )

Later on, within a bedroom, Davis, wearing a pair of boxers, and Kari, wearing pink lingerie, are sitting side-by-side on the same bed.

Kari says, "I'm glad that Luke-san understood."

Davis says, with a smile, "He is a rad dude, Kari-chan."

Kari says, with a giggle, "He is."

Veemon and Gatomon come over and Gatomon tells them, "But he has a point. You can't run away from your problems."

Davis and Kari get solemn and Kari says, "We know, Gatomon. We know."

Davis tells Kari, "When you are ready, Kari-chan."

Kari says, with a warm loving smile, "Thank you, Dai-kun." Kari nuzzles up to Davis and he gently hugs her in return with Veemon and Gatomon looking at them while we see their D-3s together on the same bed.

( **On the meanwhile; Elsewhere** )

Within another part of the facility, Luke and Datamon are working on computers as they look into a room with 'strange beds' that have what look like the medical Full-Dive devices known as Medicuboids on them not knowing what kind of significance that they will have in the future…

 **The End…For Now**

That's it, everyone! I'm sorry that took longer than my other one-shot stories of this story series. Well, it is just that while I had a basic plot for this story, I really didn't have a 'plan' for getting it down unlike plenty of my other one-shots. Hopefully, it will be sooner next month that my next one-shot will come out. Please keep reading and review, everyone! And no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	11. Story 11: Twin Tales of a NervGear

Now, as you know from reading this story series two timelines, you know that Suguha managed to get her hands on a NervGear from a friend before the events of Floor 75 boss room in SAO. However, two different things happened in which in one timeline, Suguha never got the chance to use the NervGear, but in the other timeline, she used the NervGear and entered SAO forging a series of different than the timeline where she didn't use it. But how did she get it and what are the events that happened when she did and DID NOT use it? Well, you don't have to guess since those questions are going to be answered now! However, before I start, I have to give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 11: Twin Tales of a NervGear**

 **Part 1**

Note: This part of the story/stories will take place around **Chapter 6** to **Chapter 7** of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **July 2024, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

In the area of Akihabara, part of the Chiyoda and Taito wards of Tokyo, Japan, we find 15-year-old Suguha Kirigaya walking out of Akihabara Station and looking all around.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"Didn't think that I would be back around here? However, mom may have a point that I need to get away from it all for now. With what's been happening in my life, I need to get away from it…somewhat at least. With Kazuto still trapped in that horrid 'death game' and what happened with me…"_ Suguha puts her hands on her neck and she thinks in her mind, _"It is best not to think about it or I'm going to go insane. However, it has been around six months…Six months and the nightmares won't end. No matter how high I fly in ALO…These days, I'm really understanding on why big brother goes into 'other worlds' so much. ALO has been a place of comfort and where I can experience the freedom…"_ Suguha gives a deep sigh and she thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"Anyway, it would be good to see them. Personally, I heard that they are still doing their 'Akiba Freedom Fighters' thing in which they are making sure that the area is still safe. If I know them, they are still at MOGRA. With Full-Dive VR technology on the rise, as much as I hate to say it, old fashioned and classic arcades are going down, but then again, they have been going down since early this century since home consoles were getting better and better and hand-held consoles were rivaling home consoles in quality and quantity. I feel bad for Pops, but he might figure out something and there might be plenty of people that love 'old fashioned' games."_

( **Sometime soon after** )

Inside of what looks like a classic game bar, Suguha is sitting down on a couch as a young blond haired and blue-eyed Caucasian woman wearing a French maid outfit gives her a cup of tea.

Suguha tells the young woman, "Thanks, Kati."

The young woman responds, "No problem, Suguha."

As Suguha takes a sip of the tea, an elderly individual of late fifties with grey hair under a black cap, grey beard, small gray mustache, and wearing a plain red shirt, black jeans, and sneakers tells Suguha, "It is nice to see you, again, Suguha."

Suguha tells the elderly man, "It is nice to see you, too, Pops."

The elderly man says, with a grin, "You've turned into a fine young lady there, Suguha. I bet that you have to use that kendo sword of yours to beat off the boys."

Suguha says, with a blush, "No, Pops! Geez!"

A young woman with light brown hair tied in a ponytail, violet eyes, and wearing a female sports top, shorts, and sports sneakers says, annoyed, "Pops, cut it out! You are starting to sound like a lecherous old man!"

The elderly man, Pops, retorts, "Hey! Hey! That's not fair, Tohko! I'm just saying what a wonderful young lady that our Suguha has become."

The young woman in the maid's outfit says, with a smile, "Yes, she has. She is like one of those anime and manga characters with the cute faces and super-model bodies."

Suguha says, with a mad blush, "Kati! I'm not like that!"

The young woman with light brown hair says, with a smile, "I don't know Sugu-chan. You are quite one that rotten perverts go for."

Suguha yells out, with a mad blush, "Like you are one to talk, Tohko!"

The young woman, Tohko, responds, annoyed, "Don't remind me, Suguha."

Pops tells Suguha, with a smile, "Anyway, it is nice to see you, again, Suguha."

Suguha says, smiling, "Same here. Sorry that I haven't been around lately."

Tohko says, "It isn't surprising that you haven't Suguha. You have been through a lot."

A young man with dark brown hair and dark blue eyes with a regular green and black striped shirt over a shirt that shows an obvious obsession with anime and blue jeans says, "No joke! We know how you feel."

The blond-haired woman, Kati, says, "Plenty of our friends are trapped in that awful situation as your brother."

Suguha gives a look of surprise and she says, a look of realization on her face, "Oh, yeah. You told me about that over the phone. I'm amazed that you are still doing what you are doing."

The young man says, "Are you kidding, Suguha? We've got to keep Akiba safe so they have a safe place to return to!"

Suguha says, with a smile, "I guess so, Kaito."

Another young man with the same brown hair and blue eyes as the young man with the anime T-shirt on him, but he has glasses in front of his eyes come forward and he asks, "Anyway, we have rarely heard from you lately. Is something wrong?"

Suguha gives a slight nervous look and she says, "I've been busy."

Tohko yells out, annoyed, "Yuto, you baka! Didn't we just mention that Kazuto is trapped in that 'death trap'? Geez!"

Suguha tells Tohko, with a kind smile, "Easy, Tohko. Yuto didn't mean to offend."

Tohko gives a sigh and she says, "Anyway, what's been happening with you lately? It is nice to see you, but we have been out of the loop for a while."

Suguha says, with a smile, "A lot. It has been a difficult time for around the last two years with big brother and SAO." Suguha says, with a weak smile, "All I do know is that he is alive and well and he is a top player in there."

The young man with the anime T-shirt, Kaito, says, with a grin, "That's no surprise! Your brother has been a gamer ever since we met!"

Yuto, the young man with glasses, says, "Indeed. He has also proven to be as much a shut in as Arata's little sister."

Suguha wanted to argue and she says, with a sigh, "As much as I hate to admit it, you have a point." Suguha says, with a weak smile, "Big brother and making friends doesn't seem to fit together."

 _ **July 2024, Sword Art Online**_

Inside of the virtual world of Sword Art Online, we find Suguha's said brother, in his virtual SAO avatar, out in the fields and sneezing causing him to be confused that since they are in virtual reality, he, along with everyone else still alive and trapped in this 'death game' shouldn't get colds. He shakes his head and continues on to advance the game forward to win the game and get them home.

 _ **July 2024, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

Back in the 'real world', Suguha is in MORGA, the classic game bar, talking it up with the people that she calls Pops, Tohko, Kati, Kaito, and Yuto, who are also joined by another young man with short brown hair, hazel brown eyes, and wearing a simple blue shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers.

This young man tells Suguha, "Wow, Suguha."

Tohko tells Suguha, with a smile, "I never penned you for the game type."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Well, if this never happened, I doubt that I would be even thinking about using an Amusphere at all."

Pops says, "It was surprising that a new Full-Dive device came out so soon."

Yuto says, plainly, "Well, I know why. The Amusphere is heavily based on the NervGear."

There are looks of surprise from the others and the young man asks, "Really?"

Yuto says, displaying an Amusphere in his hands, "Yes. From what my understanding of the NervGear and Amusphere, they are similar units. However, the Amusphere uses a low-frequency transmitter and doesn't have an internal battery."

Tohko says, "Which means no chance of frying anyone's brain."

Yuto says, with a nod, "That's right, Tohko. Not to mention that it has a ton of security features to prevent such a thing among others to happen to anyone."

Pops says, with a smile, "That's good to know. People can have fun in VR and don't have to worry about anything like…that."

Tohko tells Suguha, with a smile, "Anyway, it sounds like you really enjoy this game, Suguha."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Yeah, I do. It is for the flying."

Kaito asks, "The flying?"

Suguha says, smiling, "Yeah, as I already mentioned, the players of this game are fairies in which they have their own sets of wings where they can use them to fly."

Kati asks, amazed, "Really?"

Suguha says, with a nod, "Yep. But you can't fly in dungeons and you can only fly for ten minutes at a time. Then you need about an hour to recharge your wings in order to fly for another ten minutes."

Tohko says, "Well, that sucks."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Yeah, it is. But having the ability to fly is really incredible."

Yuto asks, curiously, "So, how do you fly in ALO?"

Suguha asks, curiously, "Don't you guys have Amuspheres?"

Kaito says, "No duh, we do! We're not going to let an asshole like Kayaba scare us away!"

Pops says, with a grin, "These guys have been busy bees with keeping up patrols, helping around the café, and…other stuff."

Suguha asks, curiously, "Other stuff, pops?"

Kaito says, a bit nervously, "Oh, it is really nothing."

Suguha is a bit suspicious by Kaito's tone and the last young man in the room asks Suguha, "So, can you explain how flying in ALO works?"

Suguha decides to let her suspicions of Kaito go for now and she responds, "Okay, Arata!" Suguha then starts to explain about the virtual world of ALO to the others in the room.

When she is done, Kati says, "Wow. That sounds amazing, Suguha."

Suguha says, with a grin, "It is, Kati."

Yuto says, "It is also quite unique for all sorts of games. Usually, games, especially MMO games, are level based in which you have to increase your level to boost all of your stats. However, this is the first game that's skill based and that also may make it more difficult than other games."

Arata asks, "How so?"

Yuto says, "Your health and magic barely go up for one thing, so, you can't fight even weak enemies in just standing around and take on their damage like level based games. You need to keep moving and dodging as well as countering since your skill and abilities are your true 'main strength'. Also, your own real-life skills can translate into game in which Suguha's kendo skills can be used in combat in the game."

Suguha says, "Yeah, but there is a difference between kendo and combat situations. Remember, this is a Full-Dive and you aren't using a controller on a console. You ARE the 'controller'. You are moving your avatar exactly as you are moving your own body. So, you aren't fighting in a simple kendo match, you are fighting like in real combat and there is a difference between kendo and combat especially aerial combat which is a new dimension added in ALO."

Yuto says, with a nod, "Good point, Suguha. You aren't in a simulator flying a simulated airplane. You are using your own wings of your own virtual avatar and human beings aren't born with wings, so, it is understandable why a good amount of the players aren't unable to fly without the controller even those that are veterans of the game like you."

Tohko says, with a smirk, "That means that you are quite something, Suguha."

Suguha says, with a nervous blush, "Cut it out, Tohko. There are plenty of players that can fly without controllers like me."

Tohko retorts, with a smile, "Oh? Then how many players are among those as the 'Five Great Sylphs'?"

Suguha says, with a nervous blush, "Oh, geez!"

Tohko says, with a smile, "Anyway, you really like the game is because of the ability to fly!"

Suguha asks, with a smile, "Am I that transparent?"

Kaito says, with a smirk, "With all of the enthusiasm that you talk about the flying part of that game, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out."

Suguha asks, "You don't think it weird?"

Tohko says, "No way, girlfriend! Who hasn't wanted to fly without using an airplane or something like that? Come on!"

Kaito says, with a grin, "Yeah! You think that there are so many anime and manga about flying on your own for nothing? No way!"

Suguha says, nervously, "Okay…"

Tohko says, changing the subject, "Anyway, we're about to go on patrol. I was wondering if you could come along."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Sure!"

Pops says, with a grin, "Great! It is always nice to have another set of eyes!"

Tohko says, with a nod, "Yeah! Arata, you should come along with Suguha and I."

Arata says, nodding his head, "Okay."

Kaito says, annoyed, "Man! Dude, why do you get the luck with the girls? Give me a break!"

Tohko says, annoyed, "Give me a break, Kaito."

Pops says, "Come on, little dudes!"

Just then a female voice says, "Hold up!" Everyone looks to the source of the voice to see a young teen girl with fair skin, blue eyes like Arata, and lengthy black hair with a stubborn cowlick. She appears as an innocent school girl who wears a white bobble jacket, a black frilly-skirt and red shoes. Under her jacket she wears a pink top and she also carries a cat-shaped backpack, as well as a band aid on her right knee.

Suguha asks, curiously, "Nana?"

The young teen girl says, "Been a while, kendo girl." The young teen girl looks directly at Suguha's chest area and when Suguha notices it, she wildly blushes.

Suguha yells out, embarrassed blush on her face, "Hey, Nana, what are you staring at?"

The young teen girl asks, with a glare, "Are those natural?"

Quite a few of the others blush at those words and Arata yells out, annoyed, "Nana!"

The young teen girl, Nana, responds, "Just wanted to know, big bro. You only see those kinds of things in anime. She is like the busty tomboy girl."

Tohko says, changing the subject, "Okay, we're leaving."

Nana says, "Before you go, could you get me this? I've been waiting for it for a long time." Nana hands something to Arata and he look at it.

Arata says, with a sigh, "Okay…"

Nana says, with a smile, "You are the best big bro."

Tohko says, with a sigh, "Okay, let's go." Soon after, Suguha, Tohko, and Arata left MOGRA in which Nana goes back into a backroom of the arcade café.

Kati says, with a smile, "It is nice that Suguha came to visit."

Pops says, with a nod, "Yep. Little lady must have been going through a lot lately."

Kati says, "All of us have been effected by SAO."

Kaito says, "I was surprised that Suguha would touch an Amusphere after what happened with her brother."

Kati says, "It was really horrible to hear about that."

Pops says, "Well, her brother is tough and I don't think that a little something like a 'death game' is going to stop him."

Kaito says, with a grin, "No kidding, Pops! He is one of the best gamers that there is! Too bad that he is a shut-in like Nana."

Kati says, "Oh, come on. Kazuto isn't like that."

Yuto says, "I have to say that I agree with Kaito. Kazuto is more of an 'associate' of ours and Suguha is more of the 'friend'."

Pops says, "Geez! Harsh, little dude!"

Kaito says, "Okay, our relationship with Suguha's bro isn't as 'close' as with her due to the 'distance', but even if he wasn't our friend, Suguha is."

Yuto says, with a nod, "Indeed." Yuto thinks in his mind, _"However, it is for the best that she doesn't know about what I'm doing. SAO is already deep on her mind and seeing what I have might cause some problems."_

( **On the streets of** **Akihabara; Sometime soon after** )

On the streets of Akihabara, Suguha, Tohko, and Arata are walking through the streets and looking around.

Suguha says, with a smile, "It doesn't look like much has changed."

Arata says, smiling, "Maybe…" Arata looks over at one place and Suguha and Tohko look to see a display for Amusphere.

Tohko says, with a smile, "Well, there might be minor changes, but you have a point, Suguha."

Suguha says, with a grin, "It is always the otaku center that it always is and always will be."

Tohko says, with a smirk, "Yeah, you got that right."

Arata says, with a warm smile, "Anyway, it is good to see you, again."

Suguha says, with a nod, "Nice to see you and Tohko, too, Arata."

Arata tells Suguha, "I was really surprised when you told us that you are playing a VRMMO game."

Suguha says, with a smile, "I'm not surprised that you are."

Tohko says, "Well, you really like it."

Suguha says, with a smile, "I do."

Arata asks Suguha, "Why did you start playing in the first place?"

Suguha says, with a sigh, "As I said, it was because of this situation, but to be more specific…"

Arata asks, curiously, "Your brother?"

Suguha says, "Yeah. Actually, there is something that I should tell you." Suguha then explains what his mother told her around the start of SAO.

When Suguha is done, Tohko and Arata are surprised and Tohko asks, "So, you and Kazuto are actually cousins?"

Suguha says, with a nod, "More or less. My aunt and uncle, Kazuto's real parents, died when he was just one year old and mom and dad took him in as their son since we were the only family that we had. We never knew this since Kazuto was just a baby and I was probably about just born, so, we never knew. However, when Kazuto was ten, he found out. He found records and confronted mom and dad about it."

Arata asks, "Kazuto figured it out?"

Suguha says, with a weak smile, "Mom told me that she and dad were shocked that Kazuto had managed to figure it out."

Tohko asks Suguha, "So, you think that's why you and Kazuto became so distant?"

Suguha says, with a nod, "I think so. When I found this out, I was probably asking the same questions that he was at the time." Suguha then asks, looking up, "Who is this person? And what is my true relation to them?"

Tohko tells Suguha, "Does it really matter if you are related by blood or not? The two of you grew up as brother and sister and you are like brother and sister."

Suguha says, with a smile, "I know, Tohko. It was a silly question."

Arata asks Suguha, "Is that why you started to play ALO?"

Suguha responds, with a smile, "Yeah, it is the main reason why. I wanted to get to know Kazuto better. To know him and reestablish the bond that we once had. You may think that it is silly…"

Tohko yells out, "No way, girlfriend! I think that this shows that you are really brother and sister despite your 'blood relations'."

Suguha says, with a smile, "However, I learned to love ALO on my own for my own reasons. Soaring through the virtual skies of Alfheim is such a treat every time."

Tohko says, with a grin, "I'll bet."

Arata tells Suguha, with a smile, "Maybe once Kazuto is back, you can show him ALO."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Maybe…someday…" Suguha looks up into the sky as she keeps walking with Arata and Tohko.

( **Back inside of MORGA; on the meanwhile** )

Returning to within MORGA, we find Kaito walking in on Yuto as he is working on something.

Kaito says, "Hey, bro."

Yuto says, "Please keep it down."

Kaito asks Yuto, "Are you sure that you should be working on that?"

Yuto says, "If we are going to find a way to get Kazuto and the others out, I need to use every spare second that I have."

Kaito says, "Well, they have been working on it as long as you have and they aren't any closer."

Yuto says, "True, but they haven't given up, have they? There is a solution to this. You just need to look closely." As we move around, we find that Yuto is looking at a fully functional NervGear.

Kaito says, "I still can't believe that they haven't found out that you kept it for all this time."

Yuto says, with a plain tone, "The duplicate that I provided must have proven sufficient."

Kaito asks, "Yeah, but wouldn't they have noted that since Argus and stores would have records for every single NervGear sold?"

Yuto thinks in his mind, _"That's actually a good point. I've gotten the one that I gave them when careless driver dropped an unsold NervGear rig during the recall around the start of SAO…"_ Yuto says, shaking his head, "With the chaos of SAO, it must have gone unnoticed."

Kaito says, nodding his head, "You have got a point, bro." However, both brothers get a bit of a 'bad feeling', but they decide to put it away for the moment.

( **That evening** )

In the evening hours, Suguha is sleeping on a mattress on the floor of MORGA and she is doing since she is staying over for the evening. She had already called her mom and got the okay from her in which Pops allowed them to stay the night. Suguha had fun with Tohko, Arata, Kaito, Kati, and even Arata's sister, Nana, who came out of room which is a rare event. Right now, Suguha is sleeping and she then groggily wakes up in which she sees Tohko, Arata, Kaito, and Kati, in their sleepwear and sleeping on mattresses, in which Suguha gets, but she then notices a light coming from nearby. Suguha sneaks over to the light, which was coming from behind the door, and she slowly opens the door to see Yuto working in front of a workbench in which she sneaks in closing the door behind her.

Suguha asks, sleepily, "Yuto, what are you doing?"

Yuto asks, a bit surprised, "Suguha?" When Yuto turns his body to look at Suguha, she gasps to see a NervGear on the workbench.

Suguha yells out, surprised, "Yuto! That…That's…!"

Yuto gives a sigh and he says, "It is what you think it is."

Suguha asks, shocked, "Where did you get a NervGear? How did you keep it?"

Yuto says, "It is my NervGear. I never gave it up."

Suguha asks, surprised, "What?"

Yuto says, "A careless driver had dropped an unbought NervGear and I used it to fool the authorities that I had turned in my NervGear."

Suguha asks, stunned, "But why…?"

Yuto responds, "It is obvious why, Suguha."

Suguha says, plainly, "I see." Suguha tells Yuto, "But the government has a group working on this and they have been working on this for over a year and they haven't been closer to figuring out a way to get them out there."

Yuto says, with a nod, "I know, Suguha. I've been going over their data to make sure that they didn't miss anything."

Suguha asks, surprised, "Wait! How did you get information from the government?"

Yuto says, with a smirk, "Kaito and I have our ways."

Suguha says, nervously, "Okay…"

Yuto says, with a plain tone, "However, based on what I managed to get and my studies, all I can say is…the perfect trap."

Suguha asks, nervously and a bit annoyed, "That's all?"

Yuto says, with a plain tone and a nod, "Kayaba set up the perfect trap and I can't seem to find one single flaw to exploit."

Suguha says, "I know that you want to help, but you could get into big trouble if the government knows that you kept that."

Yuto asks Suguha, "True, but how far would you go for the people that you care about?" Suguha's eyes widen at that remark and that gets her thinking about it.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"How far would I go for the people that I care about?"_

 _ **October 7, 2024, Tokyo, Kirigaya Residence**_

It is nighttime where we find Suguha, wearing her 'night gear', as she prepares for bed and lying down as she looks up at a poster in the ceiling containing her ALO avatar of Leafa flying through the clear blue skies. She can't help, but to think about a meeting that she had with her mother while visiting Kazuto as his body lies in his hospital bed with his mind trapped in SAO.

Flashback; Earlier that day

Inside of the Saitama Prefecture, we find ourselves within one of the hospital where we find someone that looks like Kirito lying down on a hospital in a hospital gown and having a NervGear on his head in which Suguha Kirigaya and a youthful looking woman with black hair tied around her head, brown eyes, and rough blouse over a cotton shirt and slim jeans with her looks makes her seem like a woman in her twenties or thirties, not a woman in her early forties. Her name is Midori Kirigaya and this is the mother of Suguha and the young teen boy in the bed, Kazuto Kirigaya, in which it is his sixteenth birthday today. They are celebrating his second birthday trapped in SAO by visiting his motionless body and while they only know what little data that government organization working on what is now known as the infamous 'SAO incident' that Kazuto AKA Kirito, though they don't know his avatar name, is alive and he is one of the top players of the game, but that's about it. As they talked about Kazuto, who is the adopted son and nephew of Midori, who took him as a baby when his parents died in a horrible accident, they hear footsteps and they look to see none other than Ami's mother, Saeko Mizuno, at the entrance of the door.

Saeko says, "Forgive me, I was observing while on my errand here."

Midori asks, "Are you a doctor here?"

Saeko responds, "No. I'm Saeko Mizuno. I'm from Juuban actually. I'm part of the team that's working on the SAO incident with my daughter."

Midori asks, surprised, "With your daughter?"

Saeko says, "Yes. You see, a very precious friend of hers is also trapped in SAO."

Suguha and Midori gasp and Midori says, "I see, Saeko-san."

Suguha asks, "Wait! Your daughter is working for the government."

Saeko responds, with a smile, "Yes, she has become well-versed in Full Dive technology. Ami is just about to enter college."

Midori asks, "Your daughter about to enter college and she is working for the government?"

Saeko says, "Just on this horrible incident. Her friend means the life to my Ami-chan. You see, Ami is a very smart girl and in fact, one of the smartest in the nation if not the world. However, like many genius, she, originally, didn't have a good 'social life' until her friend came and now, she is part of a group of very special friends."

Suguha says, "I see. This friend must be like a sister to her."

Saeko says, with a nod, "She is. That's why she is working so hard."

Midori asks, "How does your daughter get into college while she is working on this?"

Saeko says, with a weak smile, "By studying and reading books. My daughter, when she is stressed, studies or reads books to focus her mind which she is doing a lot now thanks to this whole mess. It is the only thing keeping her focused in this whole mess."

Suguha asks, "So, she calms down by studying and reading books?"

Saeko says, with a nod, "That's my sweet girl. She wishes to become a doctor just like me, but she is also very good with technology."

Midori says, with a weak smile, "Kazuto is the same way. He created his first computer when he was only ten years old."

Saeko says, amazed, "Oh, wow. That's pretty good."

Midori nods her head and she says, "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Midori Kirigaya."

Suguha says, "I'm Suguha Kirigaya." Suguha says, "And this is… my brother, Kazuto."

Saeko says, "Nice to meet you and hopefully, my daughter and one of her friends will figure out a way to end this nightmare. They have been studying the Full Dive technology day and night."

Midori says, "We can hope."

Saeko says, "You can't give up on your son, Midori-san. If he has survived this long, then he must be strong."

Suguha says, looking at him, "Yeah, he is strong."

Midori tells Saeko, "Thank you for your kind words, Saeko-san." Saeko nods her head and walks away in which Midori and her daughter look at Kazuto's pale form on the bed and continue to hope for the day that he will come home.

End Flashback; Return to the Present

As Suguha lies in her room and looking up, she thinks in her mind, _"That woman's daughter also has someone that she cares about so much trapped in that 'death game'. From what she said, this precious means a lot to her and she is really worried about her. But she isn't sitting around and doing nothing. She is working with the government to find a way to save her."_ She then remembers back around a few months ago when she found out that Yuto had been keeping a hidden NervGear, which seems a bit suspicious that the government, who worked hard to get rid of the NervGear other than the ones used for their studies, missed even one, in order to save friends of theirs who are also trapped in which they include her brother. She remembers what Yuto said about 'doing what it took' to save the people that you care about. Suguha thinks in her mind, _"Doing everything in your power to save the people that you care about."_ Suguha then has horrible flashes of a 'dark dragon' and people screaming in her mind in which she thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"All that I used my 'power' for was to hurt others when I let darkness and anger take over and control me. All that I ever used my 'power' for was pain and misery."_ Suguha sighs as she rolls around in bed and looks at her Amusphere causing her to think about a lot of things including about Yuto, the NervGear, the meeting with Saeko, and so much more, but there is one thing that comes to mind in which involves the image of the fact of Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of this 'terror', and one question: Why?

 _ **November 2024, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

Returning to Akihabara, we are returning within MORGA where we find Kati working inside all alone in which while her back was turned, a figure sneaks by and goes into the room where Suguha found Yuto working on his NervGear that he managed to keep. When we go into the room, we find none other than Suguha, herself, looking at the NervGear.

Suguha stares at it for a few moments, but when she steps towards it, Suguha hears Yuto's voice boom, "I figured that you would try this." Suguha gasps in which she looks to the source of the voice to see Yuto stepping out of the shadows.

Suguha says, shocked, "Yuto!"

Yuto tells Suguha, "You really need to sneak around better. I saw you come in from the train station."

Suguha says, "Look…"

Yuto tells Suguha, "Don't tell me about going into a speech about turning it in to keep me safe or something like that? You are planning to use it yourself."

Suguha doesn't reply for several second and Suguha says, "I remember what you told me and I also remember something else that someone else told me. About doing what it takes to save the people that you love and care for. This is the only path for me…to save Kazuto…"

Yuto tells Suguha, "Just because you have experience in ALO doesn't mean that you can help your brother in SAO, Suguha."

Suguha says, "Maybe it will and maybe it won't. I just know that I need to go help him."

When Yuto looks at the stern look in Suguha's eyes, Yuto says, with a plain tone, "When you get like that, I know that there isn't any stopping you. However…" Yuto then throws a Neo Domino City style duel disk at Suguha, who catches it, and he says, displaying another duel disk attached to his left wrist, "There is no way that I can let you go that easily. You are stronger than me due to your kendo training, but do you think that you can escape with my NervGear so easily? I'll make it simple. Beat me and you can take it without ANY complications that I could give you. I win and you walk away."

Suguha asks, a bit nervously, "Duel you?"

Yuto replies, "That's right." Suguha becomes really nervous, while not showing it on her face, as a flash of a 'sinister version' of her with a 'dark dragon' over her is looking down at someone kneeling before her before the 'dark dragon' attacks that person.

Suguha mentally slaps herself and she says, sounding determined, "Okay." Suguha then attaches her duel disk to her left wrist and she thinks, _"I guess that I know why I brought my deck with me."_

( **A bit later on** )

In an alleyway near MORGA, Suguha and Yuto are facing each other as they insert their decks into their duel disks, but Suguha then 'feels something' as she takes out a card from hidden pocket causing her to remember something in which she puts the card into her duel disk's Extra Deck.

Yuto thinks in his mind, _"What was that card? I guess I might find out."_ The two of them activate their duel disks, their disks' life-point counters display 4000 life-points for each duelist, their decks are shuffled, and after that, the two of them draw five cards from their respective decks.

"Duel!" Yuto and Suguha say in unison as their duel starts.

Starting Scores:

Suguha: 4000

Yuto: 4000

Yuto tells Suguha, "I'll allow you to start off."

Suguha says, drawing a card, "Okay, I draw!" Suguha draws a card and she says, putting one card onto her duel disk, "I place one monster face-down." Suguha says, putting one card into one of the spell/trap slots of her disk, "And then I end with one card face-down."

Yuto says, drawing a card, "That's it, huh? Well, it is my turn." Yuto says, putting one card on his disk, "Since you have monsters and I don't, I play Cyber Dragon in attack mode!" Just then Cyber Dragon (2100/1600) appears on the field in attack mode and Yuto says, putting one more card on his duel disk, "Since that's a Special Summon, I can also play my Cyber Dragon Zwei as well!" Cyber Dragon Zwei (1500/1000) appears on the field in attack mode and Yuto says, "Zwei, now, attacks your face-down monster and due to Zwei's ability, its attack points are boosted by three hundred attack points." Zwei's stats goes from 1500/1000 to 1800/1000 as Zwei attacks Suguha's face-down monster which is revealed to be Skelengel (900/400) which is destroyed instantly, but since it was in defense mode, Suguha doesn't lose any life-points.

Suguha says, drawing a card, "Since you revealed my Skelengel, I get a new card from my deck!"

As Zwei goes back down from 1800/1000 to 1500/1000, Yuto says, "But you are now wide open for a direct attack!"

Cyber Dragon attacks Suguha directly and she says, pushing a button on her disk, "Wrong! I use my Defense Draw trap card!" Suguha's other face-down card is revealed to be the Defense Draw trap card and as a shield protects Suguha, she says, "This card protects me from damage and allows me to draw a new card!" When the attack is done and the shield fades, Suguha draws another card from her deck.

Yuto says, putting two cards into the main slot, "Not bad. I end my turn."

Suguha says, drawing a card, "My move!" As Suguha looks at her cards, she thinks in her mind, _"I, once, used cards like these to hurt others, but this time, it is different! I'm dueling for the right reasons this time!"_ Suguha says, putting one card into the spell/trap slots of her disk "I activate my Seed of Deception! This allows me to play one level one or two Plant monster from my hand! And I choose Dark Verger!" Suguha puts one card on her disk and Dark Verger (0/1000) appears on the field in defense mode. Suguha says, putting another card on her duel disk, "Then I release my Verger to play Gigaplant!" Dark Verger vanishes in which Gigaplant (2400/1200) appears on the field in attack mode. Suguha says, seriously, "And you are going to find out that he is one nasty weed!"

As Gigaplant moves in to attack Cyber Dragon Zwei, Yuto says, pushing a button on his disk, "Wrong. I activate my Attack Reflector Unit trap card!" Yuto's face-down card is revealed to be the Attack Reflector Unit trap card and Yuto says, "And now, I release one Cyber Dragon on my field…" As one Cyber Dragon vanishes, Yuto puts a card from his deck on his duel disk causing him to say, "…In order to play Cyber Barrier Dragon in attack mode!" Cyber Barrier Dragon (800/2800) appears on the field in attack mode and Yuto says, "And due to his ability, since he is in attack mode, he can negate one attack per turn." Cyber Barrier Dragon creates a shield that protects Cyber Dragon Zwei from Gigaplant's attack.

Suguha says, putting two cards into the spell/trap slot of her disk, "Pretty good, Yuto. You are calculating as ever. I end my turn."

Yuto says, drawing a card, "Indeed, Suguha." Yuto displays Evolution Burst spell card and Yuto says, "I use my Zwei's other ability! By revealing one spell card in my hand, Zwei counts as a Cyber Dragon this turn." Yuto says, putting the Evolution Burst spell card into the spell/trap slots of his disk, "And that's good for me since my Evolution Burst requires a Cyber Dragon and now, one card on your field is destroyed and I choose your monster." Cyber Dragon Zwei unleashes its flames onto Gigaplant and vaporizes it in which Yuto says, putting one card on his duel disk, "Next, I play Proto-Cyber Dragon in attack mode!" Proto-Cyber Dragon (1100/600) then appears on the field in attack mode and Yuto says, putting one card into the spell/trap slots of his disk, "Next, I activate my Polymerization in which I fuse Zwei and Proto-Cyber Dragon, who also counts as a regular Cyber Dragon!" The two said monsters go into a fusion vortex, Yuto takes a Fusion Monster card from his Extra Deck, and he puts it on his duel disk causing him to say, "I Fusion Summon Cyber Twin Dragon!" Out of the fusion vortex, Cyber Twin Dragon (2800/2100) appears on the field in attack mode.

Suguha says, nervously, "Oh, boy."

Yuto says, "You know what my dragon can do and double attack in the same turn."

Suguha says, "Practically flawless as ever, Yuto."

Yuto says, "I'm sorry, Suguha, but I'm not going to let you get that NervGear. We may not know each other too well, but I know that your brother wouldn't forgive me if I let you get it and I refuse to put another friend at risk! Cyber Twin, it is time to end this!"

As Cyber Twin Dragon prepares to attack Suguha directly, she yells out, pushing a button on her duel disk, "Wrong! I activate my trap: A Hero Emerges!" Suguha's face-down card is revealed to be A Hero Emerges trap card and she says, displaying the two cards in her hand, "Now, you need to choose one card in my hand and if it is monster, I get to summon it!"

Yuto says, "The card on your right."

Suguha says, with a smile while putting the card on her duel disk, "You win some and you lose some, but I get my cute little Dandylion!" Dandylion (300/300) then appears on the field in defense mode.

Yuto says, "No matter. I still attack."

As Cyber Twin targets Dandylion, Suguha says, pushing a button on her duel disk, "Guess you aren't so perfect after all, Yuto. I use my other trap: Wall of Thorns!" Suguha's other face-down card is Wall of Thorns trap card and Suguha says, as a wall of thorns appears in front of Dandylion, "This trap card destroys all attacking monsters when you attack one of my Plant monsters!"

Yuto says, pushing a button on his duel disk, "I have a face-down card, too, Suguha. It is a Trap Jammer." Yuto's face-down card is revealed to be the Trap Jammer counter-trap card and Yuto says, "This trap card negates your trap card." Suguha winches as the protective wall of thorns vanishes in which Cyber Twin Dragon vaporizes Dandylion, but since it was in defense mode, Suguha doesn't lose any life-points.

Suguha says, "When Dandylion is sent to the grave, I get two Fluff Tokens in his place!" Two Fluff Tokens (0/0 X 2) appear on Suguha's side of the field in defense mode.

Yuto says, "Well, it is a good thing that I still have one more attack with my Twin Dragon." Cyber Twin Dragon destroys one Fluff Token and Yuto says, "And Cyber Barrier Dragon is in attack mode too." Cyber Barrier Dragon then destroys the other Fluff Token, but since both were in defense mode, Suguha doesn't lose any life-points. Yuto says, with a plain tone, "That's enough for now."

Suguha draws a card from her deck and she says, "My move!" Suguha says, putting one card into the spell/trap slots of her disk, "I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards!" Suguha draws two cards from her deck, looks at the cards, and Suguha tells Yuto, with a sigh, "Yuto, you are a great friend and I know that you think that I'm wrong, but I have to do what I feel is right. I'm sorry, but this duel is over." Suguha says, putting one card into the spell/trap slots of her disk, "First, I start with my Mark of the Rose equip spell card! I remove one Plant monster in order to equip this card to one monster that you control and I take control of your monster for this turn!" Suguha's Dandylion (300/300) monster card comes out of her graveyard slot, a rose 'tattoo' appears on Cyber Twin Dragon, and it goes over to Suguha's side in which she yells out, "And now, taste the wrath of your own monster!"

Cyber Twin Dragon fires its beam at Cyber Barrier Dragon and Yuto says, "Cyber Barrier Dragon negates that attack." Cyber Barrier Dragon creates a shield that negates Cyber Twin Dragon's attack.

Suguha says, with a smirk, "Lucky for me that your dragon has two attacks." Cyber Twin Dragon attacks, again, and Cyber Barrier Dragon explodes as it is hit causing Yuto to grunt as he loses 2000 life-points.

Yuto says, "You may have damaged my life-points, but this duel is far from over. You have used up all of Twin Dragon's attacks and I still have life-points.

Suguha asks, with a grin, "Are you sure?" Yuto gives a look of surprise as Suguha puts one more card into the spell/trap slots of her duel disk causing her to say, "I equip your dragon with my Vengeful Servant equip spell!" Yuto gasps in shock and Suguha tells Yuto, "You know what this means Yuto, don't you? This duel is over. I end my turn and you regain control of your dragon." Cyber Twin Dragon returns to Yuto's side of the field and Suguha says, "And my spell finishes you off." Cyber Twin Dragon then slams Yuto with its tail causing him to stumble backwards as he loses 2800 life-points as well as the duel.

Final Scores:

Suguha: 4000

Yuto: 0

With the end of the duel, the final Solid Vision holograms fade and Suguha tells Yuto, "It's done. I'm taking your NervGear."

Yuto says, "I thought so. To be honest, I couldn't stop you even if I won the duel. It's all yours."

Suguha tells Yuto, "I'm sorry, Yuto."

Yuto tells Suguha, "Don't be Suguha. I'll keep what happened a secret as long as I can."

Suguha says, with a nod, "Thank you." Yuto nods his head and Suguha looks towards MORGA in which she thinks, _"Hang on, big brother. I'm on my way to bring you home!"_

 _ **November 7, 2024, Tokyo, Kirigaya Residence**_

Within the Kirigaya home, Suguha is looking at the NervGear that she had taken from Yuto.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"Soon, big brother…"_ Ever since Suguha got the NervGear from Yuto, she knew that she also had get an SAO game cartridge to use in conjunction, but while the government was focused on the NervGears and not the SAO game cartridges due to the fact that without the NervGears, there wouldn't be any danger since they were compatible with the Amusphere despite them being on the NervGear, but plenty didn't take any chances in which they destroyed them or locked them away. Suguha's and Kazuto's mother, Midori, didn't destroy Kazuto's SAO game cartridge, but she put it away. Thankfully, she didn't throw it away and actually had forgotten about it. However, she locked it in a place where she can't get it right away, but Suguha has already developed a plan to get the game cartridge and see that by using it and the NervGear, she could to get to SAO. Just then she hears the phoning ringing and she goes to the phone in the living room which Suguha asks, answering the phone, "Hello?"

The voice of Suguha's mother, Midori, yells out from the phone, "Suguha!"

Suguha asks, concerned, "Mother? What's wrong?"

Midori says, over the phone, "The television! Turn on the television!"

Suguha asks, confused, "What?" Suguha immediately goes over to the television remote and turns on the television in which she sees on the screen about a report about the surviving SAO victims starting to 'wake up' causing Suguha to say, shocked, "I…I can't believe this…"

Midori says, excitedly, "It is said that they started to 'wake up' around an hour ago."

Suguha is stunned silent for a few seconds and she says, excitedly, "Kazuto…It must have been Kazuto! I don't know how mom, but it must have been big brother! He did it! He beat the game!"

Midori tells Suguha, "Yes, sweetie."

Suguha yells out, "I'm heading over to the hospital right now, mom!"

Midori responds, "Wait, Suguha…!"

Suguha tells Midori, "I've got to know, mom! I've got to know that this is true! We, both, need to know! I'll see you over there! Sorry!" Before Midori could respond, Suguha hangs up the phone and races off to get ready to run over to the hospital where her brother has been for the past two years in which she looks at the NervGear in her room before she throws it under her bed as she runs off to head out leaving the NervGear never to be used again…at least in this time.

 **End of Part 1**

 **Part 2: Hollow Fragment Timeline**

( **Note:** This part of the story takes place around **Chapter 1** of **Sailor Moon Online: Hollow Fragment** )

 _ **November 7, 2024 (Hollow Fragment Timeline), Tokyo, Kirigaya Residence**_

In another timeline where SAO didn't end in the battle between Kirito, Usagi/Sailor Moon, and Heathcliff because of an overload/error caused the game to continue going while causing Heathcliff to mysteriously 'vanish', we return to the same moment where Suguha is staring at the NervGear that she took from Yuto, but unlike the last scene in the other timeline, the phone doesn't ring at all in which Suguha decides to make her move where she goes over to her mother's room where she uses a key to unlock a drawer where she finds a box in which when she opens up the box, she finds Kazuto's SAO game cartridge inside.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"I'm sorry, but this is the only way. Yuto and that woman reminded me on what I need to do and I intend to do it."_ Suguha then takes the cartridge and covers up the evidence that she had taken it so her mother wouldn't realize it until it was too late, but she doesn't plan to make her attempt tonight. She still has a bit of preparation to do first.

 _ **November 10, 2024, Tokyo, Kirigaya Residence**_

Inside of Suguha's room, Suguha is leaving a letter that has her mother's name on it and she takes a deep breath on what she is going to do.

Suguha thinks in her mind, _"Forgive me, mom. But I can't wait any longer. It is time that I take matters into my own hands. Don't worry, I will bring big brother home as soon as I am able. I realize that if I truly care about someone, I will do what it takes to save them just like Saeko-san's daughter is trying to do for her friend trapped in SAO, who I pray to Kami is still alive, and Yuto was trying to do with this NervGear. Now, it is my turn and to be honest, I hope to make some kind of amends for the sins that I have caused through it might be possible after what I have done."_ Suguha then goes over to the phone and calls emergency services.

A female voice calls out, "Yes?"

Suguha says, trying to sound panicky, "Yes! Yes! I need help! Please, I need help immediately!"

After Suguha gives out her home's address, the female voice over the phone, the receptionist, asks, seriously, "Yes, what is the situation?"

Suguha responds, "I know that this sounds…impossible, but this is no joke! I just found out a friend of mine has a NervGear! A working NervGear!"

The receptionist yells out, stunned, "What?!"

Suguha says, pretending to sound panicky, "It's true! I saw them with it and they planned to use it because my friend's brother is trapped in SAO! I tried to stop her, but…but it is too late! She is on the bed with the NervGear on and it is working! You have to hurry over here!"

The receptionist says, with a serious tone, "Okay! Okay! I understand! Don't touch the NervGear at all! Do you understand?!"

Suguha replies, with a nod, "Yes! Yes!" Suguha thinks in her mind, _"Sorry, but I'm going to 'mess' with it."_

The receptionist says, "We're sending police and medical teams to your address immediately! Remain on the line!"

Suguha responds, "Right…Whoa!" Suguha then pretends to fall down and she cuts the line in which she quickly gets onto her bed. She quickly lies down, straps the NervGear to her head, and she turns it on causing it to activate. Suguha thinks in her mind, _"No turning back now. Goodbye for now, mom…dad…Big brother and I will be home soon."_ Suguha then sends the commands that will 'seal her fate' in this time as she yells out, "Link start!" Suguha then feels her mind 'torn away' from her body as she plunges into the virtual world, but as she is diving, something feels off to her, however, before Suguha could register a thought, she is immediately 'blacks out'.

 _ **November 10, 2024, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 76, Fields**_

Within the virtual world of SAO, we are within the floating castle world of Aincrad and heading up to Floor 76, we are going out into the fields and within a clearing, we see a young woman with long blond hair tied up in a flower-like headband, white and green collar around her neck, white and green clothing with brown boots, small green fairy wings coming out of her back, and she also has elf-like pointed ears. She gives a groan as she slowly goes into a kneeling position before falling down to the ground on her bottom in a sitting position.

The young woman holds her head and she says, in Suguha's voice, "Well…that was different." The young lady shakes her head, opens her eyes, showing that she has green eyes, and she is surprised when she sees her gloved hands causing her to say, still with Suguha's voice, "Huh? What the heck?!" The young lady leaps to her feet, looks over herself, and she says, "This is…!" The young lady spots a small pool of water nearby and she runs over causing her to gasp upon seeing the reflection of her face in the pool of water causing her to say, in Suguha's voice, "This is my ALO avatar, Leafa! What's going on here? Am I in ALO?" The young lady, none other than Suguha in her virtual avatar of Leafa, a female humanoid fairy avatar from Alfheim Online or ALO, looks around and she says, "No…No, I'm not. This looks very similar to ALO, but its difference." Her eyes glance to her right and in her vision, she sees status screen along with the left corner causing her to see avatar name of Leafa and HP bar, but there is no MP bar. Leafa says, "And I have a health bar, but no mana or MP bar." Leafa then tries to open a player menu screen with her left hand, but nothing happens causing her to ask, "Huh?" She tries again a few more time and she says, "I really hope that there is no bug in my avatar data." Leafa then swipes with her right hand and a menu screen appears in front of her causing her to say, going through the screen, "This is exactly like on ALO…" But she then stops when she finds something and she says, "Wait! There is no log-out button!" She goes through the menu screen, again, and she says, "There is no log-out button! So that means…!" Leafa looks around and she says, amazed, "I did it. I actually made it. I'm in SAO!" Leafa gives a smile, but then she says, confused, "But hold on! Since I logged in here for the first time, shouldn't I be at the starting city and not out in the field? Could it have to do with that blackout that I experience when I came in? This is just too weird even for this!" Just then Leafa hears a buzzing sound and she turns to see a pair of bee-like enemies dropping down on her in which she manages to roll around the side. Leafa yells out, "Whoa!" Leafa draws her sword and she says, looking at it, "I can't believe that I have my sword here! Well, let's get to work!" Leafa leaps up into the sky, but she then yelps as she falls back down to the ground on her stomach causing her to say, "Hold on, I…Wait! Damn it! This is SAO, not ALO! This doesn't have a flight engine!" Leafa then yelps as she rolls out of the way of another diving attack from the huge bee-like flying enemies and Leafa says, with a grunt, "And I don't have magic since I managed to hear that this game doesn't have a traditional RPG 'magic system'! That means that all I've got is close combat skills! Just great!" Leafa then takes a kendo style stance and prepares to fight back as the bee-like enemies in which she manages to side-step the enemy and she spins around to strike, but her sword glows in which she strikes the bee-like enemy with a strong strike causing it to shatter into hundreds of data pixels causing Leafa to give a look of shock.

Some distance away, a group of front-line SAO players sees the signs of a defeated monster causing one of them to say, "What was that?"

Another player says, "It looks like somebody or someone just got crushed!" Immediately, the players head off to the source of what they saw in which back with Leafa, she manages to block the other bee-like enemies' attack with her sword and manages to throw it back in which she leaps up, prepares to attack again in a kendo style fashion, and yet again, her sword glows in which she hits the bee-like enemy with a strong strike causing its HP to delete and it to shatter into hundreds of data pixels.

Leafa looks at her sword and she asks, "How did I do that?" Leafa then says, putting her sword away in its sheath, "Better not stick around. If this is like ALO, if there are other monsters nearby, I could be attracting them. I better find some kind of 'safe zone' or something." Leafa then runs off into the distance, not knowing that group of players manages to catch a glance of her in which they report to other players about a 'life-sized fairy' which reaches the 'ears' of a certain dark-skinned axe warrior/merchant player.

( **Later on; that same day** )

In another part of the 'field area' of Floor 76 of Aincrad, Leafa is thinking about what happened when she just arrived in SAO.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"So, that was a Sword Skill, huh? In this game, you don't have magic, but Sword Skills. Special attacks that are more powerful than 'regular attacks' that you make with swords. Once you get into a certain stance, the system assists you by moving faster than any player would alone to pull off combos that you couldn't do in real-life…Heck, you couldn't do them in ALO! The higher your proficiency in Sword Skills, which is separate from leveling up, which increases your stats, like strength, speed, and the like, the stronger Sword Skills you can use, but using them makes you unable to use them again until a 'cool off period' which may involve being unable to move and that's dangerous in battle especially when you are facing a strong monster, like a boss, or multiple enemies at once. By the looks of it, my sword is a classified as a one-handed sword, so, I used a basic One-Handed Sword Skill which why I suffered only a short 'cooling down period'. There is quite a bit to learn in here, but much of it seems to be similar to ALO which is quite weird. It seems like ALO was based off this game…"_

However, Leafa is brought out of her thoughts as she hears a female voice shout out, "Over there!" Leafa turns around and her eyes widen at the sight of three players.

The first player is a female player with long orange-brown chestnut brown hair, hazel eyes, and wearing a red and white uniform with a rapier attached to the left side of her skirt.

The second player is another female player with long golden blond hair in two long pigtails that nearly reach grown with the buns of the pigtails shaped like meatballs, gorgeous cerulean blue eyes, light pink hue on her lips, and most of her outfit was covered by a large pearly white hooded cloak with the hood down that shows her facial features.

The third and final player, the one that Leafa is most interested in, is a male player with thick and neat black hair, black eyes, a face that doesn't show masculinity in which he could be mistaken for a girl, and he is wearing black pants with a black belt that had a large silver buckle, a black V-necked shirt that was worn underneath a black trench-coat with gray lining going down the sleeves, and black boots with silver plates to protect his shins. He had a silver plate worn on the left side of his coat, and a pair of black fingerless gloves. He wore a strap that went over his right shoulder and under it to wrap around his left side. Attached to his back are a pair of swords in their sheaths.

When Leafa looks at the male player, she thinks in her mind, stunned, _"It's him!"_ Leafa then asks the male player, "Big brother, is that you?"

The three players are shocked by this question of Leafa's and the male player asks, surprised, "Brother?"

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"It is Kazuto! That's his voice!"_ Leafa runs up to the male player, grabs his head, and she says, excitedly, "We're able to finally meet big brother!"

After a few seconds, the blond haired female player shakes out her stupor and she asks, "Huh? What's going on here?" When the two female players look at the male player, who gives a look that says 'Don't look at me', while the blond haired female player looks at Leafa, she sees that she has a green cursor which signifies her as a player.

The male player says, "You must be mistaken. I can't be your brother and my little sister… doesn't have a chest that big." Leafa gives an annoyed look and she smacks the male player down to the ground.

The chestnut haired female player asks, shocked, "Kirito-kun?"

The blond haired female player tells the male player, "I know she isn't an NPC especially since her cursor is green." The male player, revealed to be Leafa's brother in his SAO avatar of Kirito looks at Leafa, with her hands crossed against her chest, and he sees the green cursor.

Kirito says, "Yeah… I can see that now."

Leafa says, annoyed, "We meet after two years with me only seeing your body in the hospital wasting away and all you can do is harass me big brother! Geez!" The fairy girl also says, with flush cheeks, "Anyway, who said that I couldn't have a growth spurt! It has been two years! And also, this avatar has no reference to reality! It's me! Suguha! Suguha Kirigaya!"

There is a moment of silence and Kirito shouts out, flabbergasted, "Sugu?!"

The chestnut haired female player asks, curiously, "Sugu?"

Kirito responds, "That's the nickname for my little sister." The chestnut haired female player gives a major gasp and she looks back and forth between Leafa and Kirito.

Leafa responds, "It really is me, big brother! Don't you remember how you quit kendo after two years and grandpa really let you have it until I cried and say that I would train for both of us? Or that embarrassing time…?"

Kirito yells out, frantically, "Okay! Okay! It's you, Sugu! It's you!"

The chestnut haired female player says, with a light smile on her lips, "Maybe I should hear the rest of the story to make sure of that she is your sister, Kirito-kun."

Kirito yells out, nervously, "Asuna!"

The chestnut haired female player, Asuna, says, with a giggle, "Just kidding, Kirito-kun!" Asuna and the blond haired female player, Usagi, share giggles at Kirito, who is groaning in embarrassment, in which Leafa looks at them curiously.

 _ **November 10, 2024, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 100, Ruby Palace**_

At the top floor of Aincrad, we go inside the only structure on the top of the floating castle, the Ruby Palace, and within the Ruby Palace, we are inside a massive throne room draped in red where we find a red and golden throne in which we find a man dressed in red knight's armor with a massive silver shield that has a red cross in it in which the shield also acts a sheath for his sword. The man is looking at a screen showing Leafa meeting up with Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi and he smiles at this event.

The man says, with a smile, "Hello, Selene. Even in that avatar, I know that it is you. Welcome to SAO…Or should I say…welcome home. And now, SAO can truly begin." As we start to move away from the man, who is none other than Akihiko Kayaba, the man who created the NervGear and SAO, in his SAO avatar of Heathcliff, we can see images of a battle to come where Heathcliff is battling an Eternal Sailor Scout that has a face that looks a lot like Leafa and wielding Kirito's swords of Elucidator and Dark Repulser, but that's another story…

 **End of Part 2**

 **The End…For now**

So, what do you think? Now, I know that plenty of you must be confused, so, I'll try to clear things up a bit. Remember, original **Sailor Moon Online** story timeline and the **Hollow Fragment** timeline mirror each other a lot. You should also remember that in **Shadow of Aincrad** , a story of the 'original' **Sailor Moon Online** timeline, it was mentioned that Suguha managed to get the NervGear before Kazuto/Kirito and Serena/Usagi beat Heathcliff on Floor 75 of SAO/Aincrad, but she never got the chance to use it. However, the **Hollow Fragment** timeline, Suguha got the chance to use it since SAO continued on due to that 'error' caused the game to keep going since Heathcliff had been teleported away due to the protocols that Heathcliff put in the game for such a situation. I hope that clears up the confusion that this one-shot may cause and hoped that you enjoyed the way that I showed what happened in the two timelines. Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	12. Story 12: The End to the Pain

Okay, everyone, as you already know, if you have read **World's Song** , there was a big fight between Naruto and Pain/Nagato that happened during the time skip between **Chapter 44** and **Chapter 45** of the story in which plenty of you, due to your voting, must have wondered on what the heck happened between them. Well, you don't have to worry no longer, everyone. Now, before I start this one-shot, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 12: The End to the Pain**

Note: This story takes place in-between **Chapter 44** and **Chapter 45** of **World's Song**.

 _ **August 2025, Earth, Masaki household**_

Within the Masaki household, our heroes and heroines are within the Masaki household and assembled around Washu with Tenchi, Ayeka, Sasami, Katsuhito, and Ryoko looking on as Davis grabs a hold of Washu by the collar. They have recently come back from the world of Gamindustri, a continent in a sea of clouds, after saving it, Earth, and plenty of other worlds from the actions of Arfoire, but Serena, Asuna, Suguha, Hinata, and Kari have been lost in the vast multiverse. Right now, they have come to Washu to get to the USS Enterprise, the starship from the Star Trek universe that was originally destroyed, but restored into an inter-universal traveling starship. However, at this time…

Davis yells out, angrily, "You did what?!"

Washu shouts out, nervously, "Hey, how was I supposed to know that this was going to happen?!"

Ryoko says, "We warned her not to fiddle around with it, but she wouldn't listen."

Ayeka tells Ryoko, "I didn't see you stopping her."

Ryoko tells Ayeka, pointing to Washu, "Do you want to mess with that kind of crazy?"

Ayeka takes a moment to think and she says, annoyed, "I can't believe that I'm agreeing with a barbarian like you."

Washu tells Ayeka, annoyed, "Thanks a lot."

Washu yelps as Davis shakes her and he yells out, strongly, "We need the Enterprise right now! We don't have time for you to break it down to tinker with it!"

Washu says, annoyed, "Tinker?! I have you know that I'm insulted!" Washu removes Davis' hands from her collar and she says, "I'm not tinkering with it! I'm improving it! You'll see! When it is done, it will look the same, but that ship will be able to obliterate an entire fleet of ships single handed before I'm through! And that's because I am Washu, the greatest genius in this universe, and one of the greatest minds of the multiverse!" As Washu goes into her traditional cocky laughing, everyone else in the room sweat drop and plenty of them shake their heads at this.

Tai yells out, annoyed, "I can't believe this!"

Davis says, annoyed, "I can, Tai."

Amara asks, "So, how long will these 'improvements' take?"

Washu says, nervously, "Well…"

Davis asks, with a glare, "Washu…?"

Washu responds, nervously, "…About a month."

A lot of the others shout out in unison, "SAY WHAT?!"

Tenchi says, nervously, "Here we go."

Ryoko tells Tenchi, "Don't feel sorry for her, Tenchi."

Ayeka says, "Amazingly, I'm agreeing with her." Ryoko looks at Ayeka and Ayeka says, with a glare, "Don't get any ideas." On the meanwhile, Darien, Kazuto, Naruto, Tai, and Davis are glaring at Washu with deadly intent in their eyes and she is giving a nervous smile.

Davis says, with a dangerous tone in his voice, "Washu…"

Washu leaps back a bit and she says, "Whoa! Whoa! Easy there!"

Tai shouts out, strongly, "How can I be calm when my sister is out there in the multiverse in who knows what kind of condition?"

Kazuto says, with a deadly stern glare, "The woman that I love, and both of my sisters are out there, and you are telling me to be calm?! You should know that's not humanly possible!"

Keiko says, a bit nervously, "Kazuto is mad."

Rika says, "Not surprising, Keiko."

Darien says, with a deadly glare, "As you can see Washu, you have quite four angered boyfriends and two angered brothers. We are not in a good mood."

Washu says, sternly, "Hey! Hey! I'm already deep into this! I can't just slap it back together!" Washu says, with a smirk while pushing buttons on a holographic keyboard, "Maybe I should let one of the brains of your group explain this."

Just then Ami's computer 'beeps', she takes out her computer, and she says, looking at the screen, "Miss Washu is sending me so data."

Ami then gains a nervous look and Mina asks, "What is it, Ami-chan?"

Ami says, "If Washu doesn't correctly complete her 'upgrades' to the Enterprise, it could explode…and take the whole of Mars with it."

There are flabbergasted gasps of shock and Amara asks, stunned, "You're kidding?"

Washu says, shaking her head, "Nope! And it could throw the Earth's orbit out of alignment and if that doesn't destroy all life, what's left of Mars raining down could do that." Washu asks, with a smirk, "So, what's it going to be?"

Lita asks Ami, "Is this some kind of trick?"

Ami says, shaking her head, "No."

Plenty of the others look at Washu with not very happy looks on their faces and Tenchi tells Washu, nervously, "Washu…"

Washu says, with a smile, "Oh, come on! I already said that this isn't just some simple upgrade…" Washu then yelps as she is grabbed by the collar by Davis, who has a dangerous smile on his face, causing Washu to get really nervous for obvious reasons.

Davis tells Washu, "So, what are you doing…STANDING THE FUCK AROUND HERE FOR?! GET TO WORK RIGHT NOW!" Washu screams as she throws through the entrance to her lab in the Masaki household where she lands with a loud 'crash'.

Tenchi and Sasami winches and Sasami says, "Davis is scary when mad."

Ayeka says, with a nod, "I most certainly agree, Sasami."

Ryoko says, with a grin, "Well, I'm glad for that. You know I've waited a long time for that Washu to get what she deserved."

Yolei says, amazed, "Wow."

TK says, with a bit of a nervous grin, "You can't exactly be too surprised by that."

Patamon says, nervously, "Guess not."

Davis tells Ryoko, "Ryoko, make sure that mom of yours keeps up the work. And if she tries to 'butt out' even for a second…"

Ryoko gives a sly grin, "Okay…"

Tenchi is about to say something, but Davis tells Tenchi, "Cuz, just don't." Tenchi immediately shut his mouth and the others can't help to shake their heads.

 _ **August 2025, Earth, Unknown location**_

Deep within an advanced high-tech lab, we find a blue-haired woman with amber eyes, lavender eyeshadow on her eyelids, labret piercing below her lips, and her clothing is hidden under a black cloak covered in red clouds expect for a pair of high-heeled open-toed sandals. The woman goes over to man with short straight red hair, violet eyes with multiple rings leading to the small black pupils, and wearing clothing under a black cloak with red clouds painted on the cloak with a pair of black open-toed sandals.

The blue haired woman asks, "Do you have to do this Nagato?"

The red haired male responds, "Yes, Konan. With the 'goddess' out of play, it is time."

The blue haired woman, Konan, asks, "Nagato…?"

The red haired male, Nagato, responds, "I know what you are going to say, but this needs to end, Konan."

Konan asks, "Do you really have to do this?"

Nagato says, "It must happen Konan."

Konan tells Nagato, "From what we know…"

Nagato says, "Even with Kaguya gone, it doesn't mean that our world will change Konan."

Konan says, plainly, "True…"

Nagato says, with a nod, "The same wars will continue and the same pain that we have experienced will continue on without end."

Konan tells Nagato, in a pleading tone, "We don't know that."

Nagato says, "True, Konan. But history has gone the same way without major revolution." Konan lowers her head, solemnly, and Nagato says, "We need to see who is the true heir of the Six Path Sage now. I, who, had gained the power of Sage's eyes through another heir's bloodline or another of the Sage's bloodline that I come from who has forged power on his own. We are two sides of the same coin." Nagato says, displaying a Naruto manga book, "And I will not let my life be dictated by some book."

Konan says, "Nagato…"

Nagato tells Konan, "I must be Pain one more time. Konan, will help me?"

Konan looks at Nagato in their eyes and after several second, Konan replies, "Yes."

Nagato says, with a nod, "Thank you, Konan." Konan gives a weak smile, but when she turns away from Nagato, she can only give a solemn frown while he turns to look at five more humanoid figures in front of him.

 _ **August 2025, Earth, Hayabusa Village**_

Within Hayabusa Village, Naruto, Sakura, Minato, and Kushina are together with Ryu, Naruko, Yugito, and Fuu in which they are discussing the current situation.

At one point, Naruko asks, "What can we do?"

Sakura says in reply, "There is nothing that we can do until Washu gets the Enterprise back in shape."

Yugito asks Minato, "Didn't you leave some way to use your famous jutsu on her?"

Minato says, shaking his head, "No. And it is a good idea. Since **Hirashin** is a space-time jutsu, it would have allowed us to teleport to their location even across universes."

Kushina says, "Well, we can't just fixate on what did happen, you know."

Ryu says, "It seems like all you can do is wait for the Enterprise to be done."

Naruto says, "Well, waiting around while who knows what happening to Hinata-chan, Suguha-chan, and the others doesn't sit well with me, believe it!"

Sakura asks Naruto, "We know, Naruto. But can you cross dimensions?"

Naruto says, nervously, "Well, no."

Naruko asks, "But what about that Sailor Pluto person?"

Minato says, "The multiverse is a vast. The number of universes…is beyond imagination."

Ryu says, "And who knows if those five are shifting universes? Sailor Pluto will not be able to use the Time Gates to locate them and it is possible that they could be blocked. The Time Gates is a powerful 'force' in our universe, but it doesn't mean that it is infallible."

Naruto stomps the floor and he says, annoyed, "Damn it!"

Sakura tells Naruto, "We'll find them, Naruto."

Minato says, with a nod, "That's right, Sochi. We'll get them back."

Naruto says, with a sigh, "I know, dad."

Naruko says, "I kind of know how he feels."

Kushina says, with a smile, "He is my son."

Minato says, with a grin, "That he is. He is an Uzumaki through and through."

Naruto says, with a wide grin, "Yep!"

Kushina asks, with a dangerous smile, "And what's that supposed to mean?" Naruto and Minato yelp out from Kushina's dangerous smile causing Sakura to smile until Kushina looks at her with the same dangerous smile in which Kushina asks Sakura, "You aren't taking any pleasure from my Sochi's and husband's 'displeasure'?"

Sakura says, nervously, "N-No!"

Kushina tells Sakura, with a sweet smile, "Okay. Anyway, I don't want you producing any children with my Sochi until Suguha-chan and Hinata-chan come back."

Everyone else blushes in embarrassment and Naruto yells out, embarrassed, "Mom!"

Minato slaps himself in the forehead and he thinks in his mind, _"She isn't going to stop about this, is she?"_

( **That evening** )

Within the Hayabusa Village, we are within the place that's serving as the bedroom of Sakura and she is sleeping on a mattress as well as covered in a fine blanket. However, Sakura is lightly moan as she shifts around, but she isn't showing signs of 'discomfort'.

Sakura lightly moans in her sleep, "Mmm…No…Not that Sakura…Yes…Want to…be with you…Hinata…Naruto-kun…love you…" Sakura continues to light moan out as she shuffles around while mumbling the same words in her sleep before she gets out of bed and like sleepwalkers seen on television, movies, and whatnot, Sakura extends her arms out and starts to sleepwalk out of her room wearing only a pair of silk nightgown. Still sleepwalking, she enters another room where Naruto is sleeping on another mattress. Sakura sleepwalks over, crawls under the blanket, and lies down on top of Naruto causing him to stir.

Naruto mumbles out, "Huh? W-What?" When Naruto focuses, he yelps to see Sakura on top of him causing him to ask, "Sakura?!"

Sakura mumbles out, sleepily, "Be quiet, baka…"

Naruto thinks in his mind, _"Wait! Is she…?"_

Kurama's voice booms out, _**"No duh, brat! She is what you call sleepwalking."**_

Naruto retorts, **"Sleepwalking?"**

Kurama responds, sarcastically, _**"Yeah, brat. She had to walk to get here, didn't she?"**_ Naruto was about to say something when Kurama booms out, _**"Hold it, gaki! You know the rule? No waking up sleepwalkers!"**_

Naruto says, **"But…!"** However, Naruto yelps in surprise as Sakura kisses him on the lips causing him to blush and when Sakura releases him from the kiss, Naruto says, "Sakura…"

Sakura mumbles out, sleepily, "I said…quiet…Naruto-kun…you silly baka…let's enjoy…this…" Sakura then kisses Naruto on the lips, again, causing him to flush in surprise before Sakura releases from the kiss and falls completely asleep on him.

Naruto thinks in his mind, nervously, _"Oh, great! Now what?!"_

Kurama retorts, with a sly tone, _**"You want to wake her up while trying to get her back to her room, misunderstand, and sent flying into a mountainside?"**_

Naruto responds, sarcastically, **"Thanks a lot, fuzzball."** Kurama gives an annoyed snarl at that remark, but Naruto sighs as he gently hugs the sleeping Sakura, who has a sweet smile on her face as she nuzzles up to him. However, outside of the village during that same night, Konan is watching the village.

 _ **August 2025, Earth, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Our heroes and heroines are assembled within the secret base that's hidden in the Crown Arcade in which our group is looking at a scroll that was brought to them by Naruto, Sakura, and Naruto's parents.

Amara says, "Pain is challenging you to a fight."

Naruto says, with a nod, "Yep."

Rika asks, "But how did he leave a message in a ninja village undetected?"

Minato says, "Most likely, he had someone station a good enough distance away not to be detected and sent in some kind of drone to deliver the message unnoticed."

Sakura says, "Ryu-dono feels the same way."

Mina asks, confused, "Why does he want to fight? How can he fight?"

Lita says, "Yeah! Last time that I checked, Suguha had taken away his Rinnegan eyes!"

Ami says, with a nod, "That's right."

Darien says, "She used her power absorption to take back the Etherion energy that he absorbed before he denotated like a nuclear bomb."

Kushina says, "I still can't believe that all it took was that tiny amount."

Trista says, "Etherion is the embodiment of creation itself, but it is something that can't be controlled much less held by anyone. Anyone 'unworthy' could cause a calamity that could rip the fabric of space-time, thus the fabric of our reality, into shreds."

Yolei says, "No joke. If that tiny bit turned that guy into a living nuke, then we shouldn't take Etherion lightly."

Patamon says, with a nod, "No kidding."

Hawkmon says, nodding her head, "Indeed."

Davis says, "Something tells me that this guy isn't going to give up so easily."

Ken asks, "But how can he challenge Naruto with his Rinnegan gone?"

Minato says, "He must have gotten some help."

Amara asks Minato, "You mean like MIST or any one of our enemies?"

Minato replies, with a nod, "Those are good possibilities."

Kushina asks, "Wait! Are you saying that they have restored his powers?"

Trista says, "It might be a good possibility especially if Pain has allied with MIST."

Naruto asks, "Why do you say that?"

Yolei tells Naruto, "Remember, MIST is into genetic engineering and clones. If there is enough DNA in his eye sockets that contain Madara's DNA, they could possible clone a new set of Rinnegan eyes for him."

Kushina asks, shocked, "They could do that?"

Davis says, "Took the words right out of my mouth."

Ami says, curiously, "It might be possible."

Amara says, "For good reason, we should believe that Nagato has gained a new pair of Rinnegan eyes."

Sakura says, annoyed, "Just great!"

Mina says, with a smile, "So, what? Naruto has the power of Kaguya at his disposal since he and Red Dragon Archfiend along with the Crimson Dragon sealed away her power using Burning Soul! They can kick his can!"

Minato says, "Naruto isn't used to the power of Kaguya yet, Mina."

Mina gives a surprised look and Sakura says, "Naruto can adapt and learn new powers faster than usual ninja and people from our world in general, but it isn't like the manga book. While Naruto can harness that power, Nagato has mastered the powers of Rinnegan since he had them from years and Jiraiya-sama's training greatly helped him in that regard."

TK says, with a nod, "You got that right, Sakura."

Naruto says, with a foxy grin, "So what? I never had relied on other people's power and I don't intend to start now, believe it!"

Minato tells Naruto, "Something tells me that you are going, Naruto."

Naruto says, "No joke, pops! I want him to answer why he is still doing this when the truth is in front of his face."

Sakura says, "That's a good question Naruto."

Tai says, "Not to mention that it sounds like he really wants this fight."

Matt says, "And that means that how knows what he will do. Remember, in the manga, he demolished the Leaf Village to find Naruto."

Lita says, "That means that it is safe to assume that he may try anything to get Naruto to come out."

Minato says, with a nod, "That's a safe assumption, Lita."

Naruto says, "That just makes my choice a whole lot easier, believe it."

Naruto looks around, he gives a solemn look, and Sakura tells Naruto, "We miss her too, Naruto."

Naruto says, solemnly, "I know, but she would be here encouraging me."

Davis tells Naruto, "Kazuto, Darien, and I know how you feel dude."

TK tells Davis, "We're going to get them back. We've been through tough situations before."

Mina tells Darien, "And so have they, Darien."

Darien says, with a solemn sigh, "I know, Mina."

However, plenty of the others notice Darien's arms twitching greatly and Raye thinks in her mind, _"Darien is very protective of her more than ever before because SAO. He had to watch for two years to see Meatball Head's body waste away while her soul was fighting in virtual reality enduring who knows what horrors. We only got to see her, outside of her body, again when we got into SAO and we learned that she had changed…greatly. While her 'core' remains the same, Serena isn't the same Meatball Head that we knew. She was forced to become a more complete Sailor WARRIOR and combine that with the horrible truths of SAO that we learned in which you can't blame Darien for being more protective of the woman that he loves in two lifetimes."_

Kazuto also looks 'agitated' and Keiko asks, curiously, "Kazuto?"

Kazuto says, "Yes, Keiko."

Keiko tells Kazuto, "Asuna and Suguha are strong people. They will come back."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "I know, Keiko." Kazuto gently pets Keiko on the head causing her to blush, but Kazuto looks up to the sky in which he thinks, _"Asuna…"_

 _ **August 2025, Earth, Japan**_

Within the mountainous regions of Japan, Konan is standing by the side of six familiar figures in which they are revealed to be human figures with orange hair, familiar Rinnegan eyes, black 'spots' all over their faces, and wearing the familiar cloaks of the Akatsuki.

Konan tells the figures, "Nagato…"

One of the figures, a male one, tells Konan, "Konan, when I used my paths, you must call me Pain. These are the incarnation of my will and while they are a part of me, they are only my avatars. They aren't Nagato. They are Pain, the God of Hidden Rain."

Konan says, with a nod, "Of course…Pain."

The male figure, revealed to be Nagato using a new 'Six Paths of Pain', says, "I must be focused and ready. I need to know that you are with me."

Konan tells Pain/Nagato, "You know that I am ALWAYS with you."

Pain replies, with a nod, "Thank you, Konan." Soon enough, Pain says, looking up to the skies, "They come." Konan looks up to the skies to see none other than Imperialdramon, in his 'dragon mode', come out of the clouds and flies over in which he lands in front of them creating a beam of light that has our group that just came back from Gamindustri land in front of them.

Pain says, "So, you have come."

Naruto says, sarcastically, "Well, you have given such a nice offer. I see that you have gotten back your Rinnegan…Or is it Madara's Rinnegan? It is so hard to tell."

Pain says, "If you are trying to use the truth to 'annoy' me, your plan to throw me off won't work. These are my Rinnegan now. They may be have cloned from his eyes, but these are my own."

Sailor Uranus says, "So, you are working with MIST."

Pain says, "They are a mere tool to my goals."

Sailor Jupiter says, "And what makes you think that you are not? This could be just a big fat test for them."

Pain says, "They can do what it wishes. If they do something against me, I shall crush them."

Davis says, "Dude, they kind of know a lot about you."

Pain says, "As they say: You shouldn't believe everything that you read."

Davis says, with a smirk, "That's funny. I didn't know that you had a sense of humor. I guess that you are right and you can't believe everything that you read."

Pain looks at our group and he says, "There seems to be a few members missing including the warrior that took Madara's eyes from me."

Kazuto says, "She has more important things to deal with."

Pain asks, curiously, "Does she?"

Naruto says, "This is about us and not them!" Naruto asks, with a sly smirk, "Or are you sore that she took Madara's eyes from her?"

Pain responds, "Actually, no. I'm grateful." There are looks of surprise from the others and Pain says, "Thanks to her, I can see for the first time with my own eyes and not someone else's eyes."

Sailor Orion says, "By the looks, your new 'sight' isn't good enough."

Pain retorts, "That's from your perspective."

Naruto asks Pain, "Do we really have to do this Nagato?"

Pain responds, "There can only be one."

Minato yells out, "You already know the truth!"

Konan says, with a nod, "Yes, we do. However, this time, this is made by our own will without any 'influence' by Madara or his 'student', Obito."

Pain tells Naruto, "If you are the heir to the Sage, prove it to me now. Show me that your way will lead to true peace, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, heir of the Uzumaki clan of Whirlpool, and reincarnation of Asura, the younger son and heir to the Six Path Sage."

Naruto glows with a blue chakra aura and he says, strongly, "Fine! I know that you aren't going to let this go! I have people that I care about that are lost out there in the multiverse and my friends here need me! You are in my way and no one is going to stop me from finding my precious people, believe it!" Naruto's blue chakra flares like a wildfire and he says, charging in, "This ends now!" The new Six Paths of Pain charge in for the attack as the two of them prepare to clash. Naruto yells out, strongly, "Let's go!" Naruto then moves with such speed that a powerful wind is creating forcing those with powers to shield those without powers.

Kotone says, shocked, "What power!" Naruto races over and starts to speed by so fast that he creates over a dozen after images in which Konan, who had created her 'paper wings' to fly through the air, is amazed at seeing this.

Konan thinks in her mind, amazed, _"He is moving with such speed that he is creating afterimages of himself. Incredible!"_

Pain says, plainly, "You have improved Namikaze."

Naruto says, with a grin, "Thanks, but if this is too slow for you, I can always go faster!"

Pain says, "Your 'comedy act' will not aid you in this battle."

Naruto responds, with a foxy smile, "I don't know, it has helped me before!"

Pain says, "That might be true. It has kept your foes off-balance and underestimate. A mistake that I won't make."

Naruto replies, "Promises! Promises! Now, let's see if you are really an Uzumaki and keep them!" Naruto continues to run at incredible speeds while the others return to Imperialdramon's back.

Sakura thinks in her mind, concerned, _"Naruto…"_

Kushina says, "I don't like this you know."

Minato says, with a nod, "I do, Kushina-chan. However, we need to let our son fight his own battles and give him what support we can." Minato says, "We also have to remain on standby just in case Pain isn't as honorable as he is being, or a third party decides to take action outside of his knowledge which is most likely."

Sailor Saturn asks, "You really think that our enemies would try a sneak attack?"

Sailor Pluto says, "Minato-dono has brought up an excellent point in that and since our enemies 'modified' Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura for their ends, they would love a chance to get back their 'returns'."

Sailor Uranus says, with a nod, "Yeah. It is best that we remain on standby to counter them in which most likely, as the cowards that they are, they will attack when Naruto is weakened."

Tai says, nodding his head, "No joke."

Matt says, looking at the Digimon, "That's why you need to be ready just in case."

The Digimon nod their heads and Ken says, "You, too, Imperialdramon."

Imperialdramon responds, "Right, Ken." Back with Naruto, he continues to jump and circle around Pain as his six current avatars form a circle.

Naruto thinks in his mind, _"He is taking advantage of all of those eyes to make sure that he doesn't lose sight of me at all. These are brand new bodies, so, I need to figure out which body has which power or I need to find the dude is hiding his real self. But I can't detect him at all!"_

Kurama retorts, _**"He isn't stupid, brat! He must be using technology that he took from that organization to hide his chakra signature or more likely, have an ability to block all type of sensory abilities since those two Sailor Scouts that have sensory powers of their own couldn't sense anything either."**_

Naruto thinks in his mind, _"Meaning that I need to find a high place, but this is the mountains, there are all sorts of high places that he can hide, believe it! And most likely, his partner is going to run interference in that regard!"_

Kurama responds, _**"No duh, kit! You need to force his hand! Good luck!"**_

Naruto replies, annoyed, **"Thanks a lot, fox!"** Naruto continues to circle around all six bodies of Pain creating dozens of afterimages of himself due to the sheer speed in which Pain continues to watch and not moving.

Pain thinks in his mind, _"This stalemate has to end. If the boy won't move…"_ One of the bodies then opens its mouth and fires a missile at Naruto causing him to leap back and away to dodge the attack.

Naruto thinks in his mind, with a sly grin, _"Hello, 'machine body'!"_

Kurama says, _**"That's Asura Path, brat!"**_

Naruto yells out, annoyed, **"No comments from the gallery!"** Naruto shouts out, "I've got some tricks too! Try this one on for size!" Naruto gathers chakra in his right hand into a familiar sphere of chakra in which he shouts out, " **Rasengan Bomb!** " Naruto then throws the **Rasengan** in which it expands to massive size much to Pain's shock causing another body to leap forward in which this body absorbs it.

Kurama says, _**"That's the Preta Path, kit!"**_

Pain says, plainly, "Enough."

" **Almighty Push!** "

The body that Pain has been using to speak to Naruto and the others extends his arm and unleashes the power of gravity repulsing attack in which Naruto screams as he is sent flying high through the air.

The others gasp at this in which Sakura yells out, shocked, "Naruto!"

Kushina yells out, worriedly, "Sochi!" Naruto then spins in the air and manages to land safely.

Naruto thinks in his mind, slyly, _"And that's three!"_ Pain's eyes narrow and then widen due to him having a revelation.

Pain tells Naruto, "I see what you are doing."

Naruto asks, "Oh?"

Pain says, "You are trying to force me to expose which bodies hold which power. You know for a fact that when I use the Six Paths of Pain, each body has one of the path powers granted by the Rinnegan. You are trying to figure out which body has which power and most likely, you are going for the one that has Naraka Path and target that one first since it has the ability to revive my other paths if you disable them. With Naraka gone, the other bodies will be vulnerable."

Naruto says, with a nervous smile, "I guess that I'm a bit obvious."

Pain says, "I've revealed the Deva, Asura, and Preta Paths to you and that's what I will use against you." Soon after, Pain's new Deva, Asura, and Preta Paths move in to attack Naruto.

Naruto thinks in his mind, annoyed, _"Darn it! There goes that idea! That means that I'm going to need to figure which is that 'revival body' another way."_

" **Universal Pull!** "

Naruto then yelps as he is yanked forward by Pain's gravity powers in which Preta Path Pain gets in the path of Naruto's flying form in order to prepare to absorb Naruto's energy, but Naruto manages to use his chakra to force him to get him to closer to the ground in which Naruto to grab the ground and use that to fling him away from Petra Path.

Seeing this from Imperialdramon, Yolei says, excitedly, "Way to go!" Naruto lands on the ground and he charge right at the remaining three bodies of Pain with such speed in which one of the three 'avatars' leaps forward and slams their hands into the ground.

" **Summoning Jutsu!** "

There is a loud puff of smoke and a huge three-headed dog with Rinnegan eyes comes out of the smoke in which Naruto leaps away to avoid getting hit by one of the huge dog's massive paws.

Naruto thinks in his mind, _"That's number four!"_

Kurama retorts, _**"Now, you have two choices to figure out which is the 'revival Pain' and knock that Pain out to make sure that your messed up kin doesn't restore his destroyed corpses!"**_

Naruto says, **"You really know to learn tact, Kurama."** The Nine-Tailed Fox just scoffs at Naruto, but then Naruto senses danger and turns only to get wrapped up by metal tentacles from Pain's current Asura Path.

Pain says, "That was the last Pain that you will expose, Namikaze."

Naruto says, with a foxy smirk, "I don't think that's going to be the case, pal!"

Pain asks, with a glare, "And why is that?!"

" **Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!** "

Just then dozens upon dozens of Naruto Shadow Clones appear and rip apart the metal tentacles binding the real Naruto.

Pain thinks in his mind, stunned, _"Performing a jutsu WITHOUT hand signs?!"_

Naruto asks, with a sly tone, "Didn't see that one coming did you?"

Pain says, "No, I did not."

Naruto says, with a wide grin, "Not surprising since I am THAT good, believe it!"

Pain says, with a smirk, "I may have underestimated you, but that won't be happening."

Naruto asks Pain, "And how will that make any difference?"

Pain tells Naruto, "My body…My true body isn't as damaged as before and this new system allows me to control my Paths with a reduction in strain. You have made a mistake in not bringing out your 'ace-in-the-hole'."

Naruto responds, "I don't need Kaguya's power to beat you! I will beat you with MY power, believe it!"

Pain tells Naruto, "That's where you are mistaken."

Naruto asks, curiously, "Oh?"

Pain yells out, "Konan!" Konan gives a surprised look as all of Pain's 'Paths', minus his Deva Path, take to the air and surround Konan in which she wrapped them in cocoons of paper, but not before everyone on Imperialdramon and the dragon Digimon himself sees them go limp.

Sailor Jupiter says, "Hey! Those…Those 'other Pains' are going limp."

Sakura asks, her eyes widening, "Limp? Did you say limp?"

Sailor Jupiter asks, "Yeah? Why?"

Sailor Venus says, realizing something, "Uh oh."

Minato yells out, "Naruto, get out of there!"

Sailor Uranus says, using her powers to amplify her voice, "He is going for the 'big one'!"

Naruto asks, confused, "Big one?" Just then Naruto realizes what Sailor Uranus meant and he says, nervously while looking at Deva Path Pain, "Oh, crap!"

Deva Path Pain leaps high into the sky and he says, aiming his hands towards Naruto, "Too late."

" **Almighty Push!** "

Deva Path Pain unleashes an extreme powered gravity attack that causes a massive explosion that sends dirt, debris, and smoke high into the air while causing an earthquake level shockwave that's detected from various earthquake detection centers nearest the area and Japan in general.

Sakura shouts out, shocked, "Naruto!" Imperialdramon turns to make sure that the others don't get hit by the debris in which everyone ducks down on Imperialdramon and cover their eyes. When the explosion dies down and the smoke and dirt clear up, there is an immense crater on the ground in which Deva Path Pain lands in the middle of it.

Deva Path Pain says, "It's over…" But he then senses something, and he dodges a kunai, however, when he gets a good look at it, Deva Path Pain sees that it is a familiar tri-kunai. Just then there is a bright orange flash and Naruto reappears right in front of Deva Path Pain. Before he could say or do anything, Naruto already has a familiar sphere of chakra in both of his hands.

" **Rasenrengan!** "

Naruto slams his two spheres of chakra and Deva Path Pain screams out as the two powerful spheres of chakra energy totally vaporize him.

Naruto shouts out, "Yeah! One down!"

Kurama retorts, _**"Yeah, brat! Just ONE down! You have five more to go!"**_

Naruto says, annoyed, **"You are such a downer, Kurama."** Naruto then looks to see the other five 'Paths of Pain' land in front of him.

His Asura Path then speaks in Pain's voice, "How?"

Naruto says, with a grin, "Simple! I hoped that my bud's dragon friend didn't mind me tagging him with my version of my dad's famous 'seal'."

Asura Path Pain says, " **Hirashin.** "

Naruto says, with a sly grin, "Believe it!"

Asura Path Pain says, "You really are the son of the Fourth Hokage."

Naruto says, "And heir to the Uzumaki, you better believe it!"

Back on Imperialdramon, Kushina shouts out, excitedly, "That's right! That's my Sochi!" Minato shakes his head and he smiles, nervously, at his wife's antics.

Returning to the fight, Asura Path Pain says, "I can see that you are full of surprises, Namikaze. And now, with my Deva Path completely destroyed, not even the Naraka Path can revive him since there must be something left of him to revive."

Naruto says, with a grin, "That's why I vaporized him, believe it!"

Pain tells Naruto, "Well, as you say, you can 'believe this' as you won't be doing that again."

Naruto says, with a foxy smirk, "What do you know? You have a sense of honor."

Pain says, plainly, "Let us see how much longer you can make jokes in this situation."

Naruto responds, with a wide grin, "Oh, you know it, pal!" Naruto gets into a defensive stance while the five remaining Pain Paths also do the same in which he looks at them.

Kurama says, _**"You've already taken down the Deva Path and you know which are the Asura, Petra, and Animal Paths. The only ones left are the Human and Naraka Paths."**_

Returning to Imperialdramon, Ken says, "It looks like Naruto is doing well."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "But he may have good amount of a way to go."

Minato says, nodding his head, "Indeed. He has taken out one of Pain's 'Paths' and he knows three more of them, but he needs to take out the Naraka Path to prevent him from reviving the other Paths. The Deva Path can't be revived since Naruto completely destroyed it in his last attack."

TK says, with a nod, "Which is an excellent move making Pain that much weaker."

Minato says, "Maybe. But if Nagato restored his body to full health, Nagato, himself, may be more dangerous than his 'Six Paths' since all the powers of the Rinnegan will be focused on him alone. He has weakened his Rinnegan powers for the edge of 'extra sight'."

Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and Tai says, "Naruto has his work cut out for him."

Matt says, with a nod, "No kidding, Tai." Returning to the fight, Animal Path immediately summons A LOT of various giant animals with Rinnegan eyes which attack Naruto in which Naruto has to dodge while Asura and Petra move in to attack with Asura Path Pain unleashing metal whips at Naruto while the two remaining Paths, Naraka and Human, remain in the rear.

Naruto says, "Man! You have new tricks!"

Asura Path Pain says, "They are more than just 'tricks'." Asura Path Pain then turns the 'metal whips' into chain swords in which Naruto yelps as he barely dodges them while making sure that Preta Path Pain doesn't grab him to hold him down in order to absorb his chakra.

Naruto tells Asura Path Pain, with a grin, "Are you sure that you want to do that? Don't you know that I possess the same power that Sailor Celestial does?"

Asura Path Pain retorts, "Yes, I already know."

Naruto asks, surprised, "You do?"

Asura Path Pain says, with a sly tone, "I was assist by the organization that held you and your two female comrades for a time."

Naruto says, with a snort, "Oh, yeah. Figures."

Asura Path Pain says, "So, I know for a fact that you haven't truly tapped into that power like warrior of this world has. As long as I don't tap into your energies too deeply, I doubt that I will awaken them and accidently absorb them."

Naruto thinks in his mind, _"There goes that idea."_

Kurama says, _**"And you have just made your own good point, kit. You have to be careful. He may not be as careful as he wants to be and if he absorbs even a bit of the Etherion asleep inside of you…"**_

Naruto says, seriously, **"I get it, Kurama. One big 'boom' and no Suguha-chan to stop it like last time!"**

Kurama retorts, _**"As you would say: Believe it!"**_ Naruto gives a mental annoyed groan as he continues to fight against Asura and Petra Pains along with the various giant animals summoned by Animal Path Pain. As everyone else watches, Naruto continues his fight with Pain in which Asura Path Pain unleashes a rain of metal spikes that Naruto manages to knock aside. Once Naruto unleashes his **Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu** and creates a small legion of one hundred Shadow Clones.

Pain says, plainly, "Amusing."

Naruto's Clones yell out in unison, "And here is the punchline, jerk!" Naruto's Shadow Clones charge right in and Petra Pain grabs two of them to dispel them to drain their chakra, but the clones smirk before exploding in strong explosion.

Pain asks, surprised, "What?!" Pain's Petra Path, badly smoking, is sent flying to the ground while the rest of Naruto's clones attack Animal Path's summons in which they also denotate causing one to collapse in a heap before dispelling while another one is down and injured, but not enough to dispel it. However, two more clones manage to grab Animal Path Pain and explode before anything could be done. When the explosion dies down, Animal Path Pain's smoking form collapses to the ground in a heap. As the smoke and dust from the explosions dispel, Pain says, "The **Exploding Shadow Clone Jutsu** , Namikaze? Impressive." However, all of Pain's 'Paths' then find that Naruto is missing!

Naruto's voice booms all over and area, "You know it, buster!" Naruto then bursts out of the ground behind Pain's Naraka and Human Paths and before they could do anything, Naruto draws out a pair of swords in which before either Path could do anything, Naruto cuts them down, literally, in which he steps past the remains.

For a moment, nothing is said between the two 'fighters' and Pain says, "Impressive."

Naruto says, with a wide grin, "You better believe it, buster!"

Kurama says, _**"Don't think that you have won just because you have taken out his ability to regenerate his other 'Paths', brat! He is going to have other tricks up his sleeve!"**_

Pain says, "Just because you have taken out my Paths, doesn't mean that I am weaker. My 'line of sight' might be lessened, but I can now focus more chakra into my remaining Paths."

Pain's remaining three Paths glow with intense blue chakra with Preta and Animal Pain, their clothing torn and burn marks on them, return to their feet, and Konan says, seeing this, "Nagato…"

Naruto says, a bit nervously, "Oh, boy."

" **Summoning Jutsu!** "

Animal Path Pain then summons a whole legion of huge animals with Rinnegan eyes ranging from giant birds, carbs, lions, and so many more in which everyone, minus Konan, can't help to give looks of shock.

On Imperialdramon, Rika yells out, "No way!"

Yolei says, nervously, "I think 'yes way', Rika!"

Davis says, with a nod, "No joke!" Back to the fight, the legion of huge animals attacks Naruto while Asura Path Pain gets on the back of one of the animals and unleashes a rain of all sorts of weapons and sharp 'objects' against Naruto causing him to completely go on the defensive as he tries not to get hit while Petra Path takes off for who knows where.

Naruto thinks in his mind, nervously, _"Oh, man!"_

Kurama says, _**"Well, brat…!"**_

Naruto yells out, annoyed, **"Don't you dare say I told you so, fox!"** Kurama gives a nasty chuckle as Naruto gives a mental snarl as he continues to dodge against the massive summons of Animal Paths as well as the various attacks from Asura Path.

Pain says, "Your ability to dodge is quite good, Namikaze."

Naruto says, with a grin, "If you read the manga, you should know that I outran ANBU when I was a little kid!"

Pain responds, "I did." Naruto yelps as he is grabbed from underneath his feet and then lifted into the air by Preta Path Pain, who has Naruto by the ankles, in which he kicks Naruto's swords out of his hands.

From Imperialdramon, Sakura yells out, worriedly, "Oh no!"

Kushina says, worriedly, "Sochi!"

Minato tells Kushina, reassuringly, "He'll get out of this, Kushina-chan. He is our son." However, deep down, Minato is worried for his son's life.

Pain tells Naruto, as his Preta Path is absorbing Naruto's chakra, "It is over, Namikaze."

As Animal and Asura Paths gather around Preta Path Pain, Naruto responds, with a smirk, "I don't think so!" Just then 'Naruto' vanishes in a puff of smoke much to Pain's shock.

Pain thinks in his mind, _"Another Shadow Clone?! When?!"_ Just then the ground around the three remaining Paths of Pain glows a bright blue, but before they can do anything, they are engulfed in a huge explosion that vaporizes them in one shot.

Imperialdramon flies out of the way of the explosion and Joe asks, "What the heck just happened?!"

Gomamon says, "Got me, Joe."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Naruto just outwitted Pain." When the explosion is done and the smoke and dust die down, Naruto emerges from where the explosion emerged and he stretches his arms out.

Naruto says, with a grin, "Got you, believe it!" Naruto looks up towards Konan and he shouts out, "Okay, lady, let's see the real Pain! Bring him down!"

Just then Pain's voice booms, "I'm already here."

" **Almighty Push!** "

Naruto screams out as he is sent airborne by Nagato himself and Nagato leaps into the sky after Naruto in which Naruto manages to right himself, but Nagato is upon him immediately and the two of them start to fight in intense hand-to-hand combat in which when their arms and legs start to hit each other, they create strong shockwave that shakes up the whole of the area with every successive blow.

Naruto says, with a smirk, "Not bad."

Nagato says, "While I no longer have the combined sight of my Paths of Pain, the power of the Rinnegan is now focused in my one true body alone. I am now more powerful using my real self especially since it has been completely healed."

Naruto says, "Doesn't mean that you will win, pal!"

Nagato responds, "No, the one who will win is the person with the stronger conviction. Now, prove to me that your conviction is stronger, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze! Only then can you truly be called by me as the true heir of the Six Path Sage!"

Naruto says, strongly, "I don't care about being Old Man Hagoromo's heir! All I care is what's best for our world!"

Nagato says, "As do I!"

Naruto yells out, "What you want is genocide!"

Nagato says, "As long as humans the way that they are, there can be no peace unless they experience the pain of war and all that it causes!"

Naruto shouts out, strongly, "There is always a better way!"

Nagato yells out, "Then you must prove that today!" Nagato and Naruto clash fist with such strength that the shockwave that they cause shakes the whole of the mountainside area in which the two of them are sent flying back far away from each other, but they easily manage to backflip several times and land safely on the ground.

Naruto shouts out, strongly, "This madness ends now!"

Nagato responds, "What you call 'madness', I call necessity!"

" **Universal Pull!** "

Naruto screams out as he is pull with incredible force, far stronger than Deva Path Pain produced, right for Nagato.

" **Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!** "

Naruto, in return, produces several thousand Shadow Clones that uses the gravity force to pummel Nagato with sheer weight in numbers.

Nagato says, plainly, "Useless."

" **Almighty Push!** "

Nagato unleashes a powerful gravity push attack that's far stronger than anything that Deva Path Pain used other than the attack that Nagato focused all his power in Deva Path Pain that slams into the legions of Shadow Clones causing them to dispel immediately creating a massive amount of smoke.

Nagato thinks in his mind, _"Creating a smokescreen? Such a simple plan for a simple mind…"_ However, Nagato is snapped out of his thoughts when the real Naruto bursts out of the ground and lands a powerful kick that sends him flying through the air in which Nagato thinks, _"It was a distraction! He had already slipped away probably after he created the clones!"_ Nagato turns his arms into metal cannons and fire beams of chakra energy at Naruto in which he dodges with incredible speed and performs another **Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu** in which thousands more Naruto Shadow Clones are created in which some of them attack Nagato causing him to shoot them down with the 'chakra beams' from his arms.

On Imperialdramon's back, everyone is watching this and Yolei asks, "What is Naruto doing?"

Sakura says, with a smile, "What he is usually doing."

Sailor Uranus says, "And that means that he is doing things 'on the fly'."

Matt says, looking at Davis and Tai, "Sounds like a few others that we know."

Davis and Tai yell out in unison, annoyed, "Hey, why are you looking at me?!" Davis and Tai look at each other in which plenty of the others giggle at this. Returning to the fight, Naruto's Shadow Clones are attacking Nagato in mass in which he is defeating them with his Asura Path powers.

Nagato thinks in his mind, _"What is he planning now?"_ Nagato then sees a 'strange glow' and glances up to see Naruto with an immense sphere of chakra, the size of a two-story house, in the air above him.

" **Giant Rasengan!** "

Naruto then drives the giant sphere of charka right towards Nagato, but he leaps while dispelling more of Naruto clones and he then raises his right hand in which he uses his Preta Path powers to absorb the massive sphere of chakra.

Nagato asks, "Do you really think that it would be that easy?"

Naruto's voice then booms, "Yeah…Easy enough to get in your face!" Nagato gasps as he looks down in front of him to see Naruto right in front of him with a familiar sphere of chakra in his right hand causing him to glance to see the 'Naruto' that used the **Giant Rasengan** dispel to show that it was a Shadow Clone.

" **Wind Style: Rasengan!** "

Naruto then attacks with the sphere of chakra, but unlike the spheres of chakra that Naruto has been using, this **Rasengan** has been enhanced by wind chakra making MUCH more powerful and while Nagato was using his Preta Path power, he was focusing it on his right hand and not the whole of his body in which he had just deactivated his Preta Path power causing Nagato to be helpless against the attack. Nagato screams out as the attack slams into him and with a loud 'kaboom', like a cannon going off, Nagato is sent flying just above the ground with incredible speed going slammed into the side of the massive crater created by earlier attacks using Deva Path Pain sending a lot of smoke, dirt, and debris into the air.

Konan shouts out, horrified, "Nagato!" Konan immediately flies off toward Nagato hit while Imperialdramon lands nearby with Naruto coming up shortly thereafter. Konan finds Nagato very badly mauled from Naruto's enhanced **Rasengan** and Konan immediately goes over to him in which she puts him in her arms.

Nagato says, weakly, "Konan…"

Konan says, "Nagato…"

Nagato looks at Naruto and he says, "It looks like…you are indeed…the heir…to will of the Sage…you are truly the one of…prophecy…that Jiraiya-sensei was told…by the Elder Toads…"

Naruto says, "Like I give a darn about that, pal. I fight to make sure that those have gone through a lot like me, like Gaara…" Naruto says, looking at the others, "And like people like my new friends like Kazuto. I fight to make sure that things like what Obito did on the day of my birth, like what Itachi was forced to do due his clan going rogue because of what the village did to it, or like people like Kayaba had done…I fight to make sure that those kinds of things NEVER happen again and I intend to solve them the RIGHT way, believe it!"

Nagato asks, weakly, "Do you really think that people can change so easily? Do you think that you can change the cycle that has been started by Kaguya's will by Black Zetsu that has lasted through centuries? Do you think that you can do in real life what was done in a manga?"

Naruto replies, "For the first two question, it is a big fat…Yes! For the last question: I don't think that it can be done so clean and dry in a manga since that's the way that works, but it doesn't mean that it can't be done! And I'm going to keep trying and trying until our world is free from Kaguya's legacy and influence once and for all! And that's a promise! And since I'm an Uzumaki, I don't break promises, believe it!" Nagato looks at Naruto and he can't help to see Jiraiya and Yahiko, his best childhood friend with Konan in land where the Hidden Rain Village is located, in which he can't help to smile at this.

Just then Sailor Mars, Sailor Uranus, Kazuto, and Naruto 'sense' something and Sailor Uranus says, "Uh oh."

Sailor Saturn asks, "What is it?"

Davis says, 'sensing' something himself, "We're not alone."

TK says, with a serious tone, "Oh, boy."

Tuxedo Mask asks, "Where is our opponent?"

Sailor Mercury says, activating her visor and computer, "I'll try to get a scan."

Naruto yells out, 'sensing something', "Too late!" Soon after, the group all around them starts to shake and Imperialdramon yelps out as he is trapped in the coils of a massively huge boa.

Ken shouts out, shocked, "Imperialdramon!"

Sailor Jupiter says, "That's not a natural snake for our world!"

Sakura yells out, strongly, "Orochimaru!" Just then a huge amount of all types of poisonous snakes emerge from the ground all around everyone.

Sailor Venus asks, shocked, "Whoa! Snakes? Why did it have to be snakes?!"

Yolei says, nervously, "That's my question, too, Mina!"

Just then Orochimaru emerges from the ground and Naruto shouts out, annoyed, "Orochimaru! I should have known that a snake like you would be here!"

Orochimaru says, with a wicked smile, "It has been a while, Naruto."

Kushina yells out, angrily, "What do you want you snake?!"

Orochimaru says, with a sinister grin, "What do you think Kushina? Those that restored Pain's body and eyes have quite a bit invested in him as they are invested in your son and his female friends in which one of them seems to be missing." Orochimaru says, with a wicked smile, "How interesting. It seems like quite a few of your group is missing."

Sailor Jupiter yells out, "Screw you, you snake!"

Sailor Mars prepares to attack, but the snakes unleash sprays some kind of acid in which Kotone and Keiko yelp as they are nearly hit in which Kazuto asks, "Are you okay?"

Kotone and Keiko look nervous at where the snake's acid hit and Kotone says, with a nod, "Yes, Kazuto."

Yolei says, annoyed and nervously, "You have got to be kidding me."

TK says, nervously, "If this is a joke, I don't like the punchline."

Orochimaru says, with a wicked smile, "Just a few genetically modified snakes with a potent acid venom."

Sakura says, annoyed and sarcastic tone in her voice, "How cute."

Orochimaru responds, sarcastically, "Aren't they?" Orochimaru tells them, "While many of you can handle such a thing, but those of you without powers might not be so lucky!"

Kazuto yells out, angrily, "Coward!"

Davis says, with a serious tone, "Dude, took the words right out of my mouth!"

Orochimaru says, with a sinister smile, "You call it cowardice. I call it good tactics."

Kushina says, "You don't want to know what I think you know."

Orochimaru says, with a sly smirk, "You haven't changed all these years, Kushina, but then again, you have been only recently revived after all. Anyway, I would advise you not to try anything unless you want some of your son's new friends to get…hurt."

Sailor Mars asks, with a sly smirk, "You think so freak?" Just then a massive ring of flames bursts out of the ground under all of the snakes and vaporizes them.

Orochimaru asks, shocked, "What?"

Sailor Jupiter yells out, excitedly, "Never underestimate a Valkyrie!" Just then they hear the sound of metal fitting flesh in which everyone looks to see Orochimaru's sword, Kusanagi Sword, impaling Sailor Mars in her unarmored armpit.

Sailor Mercury says, horrified, "Mars!" Sailor Mars collapses into a heap while Orochimaru's sword returns to him.

Naruto yells out, angrily, "You snake!"

Orochimaru says, with a wicked grin, "Just a reminder that victory comes with a price, Naruto. My sword has a new poison and it is quite quick and deadly as well as immune to any magical healing abilities like your dark-haired friend known as Sailor Saturn for example. I haven't tested it yet, so, it seems like a good start. Farewell."

Kushina yells out, strongly, "I don't think so!" Kushina then uses her chakra chains on Orochimaru, but he turns into mud soon after.

Minato says, "Damn it! Mud clone!"

Kazuto asks Sailor Uranus, "Can you sense him?"

Sailor Uranus says, shaking her head, "No!"

Naruto says, "Neither can I!"

Kurama says, _**"And you won't, kit! He must be using similar technology and such to block out sensory abilities like my negative emotion sensory powers or the sensory abilities of your Sailor Scout friends. And that's why you didn't realize that snake in front of us was a mud clone and the real one was underground."**_

Naruto says, irritated, "Damn it!" The others go over to Sailor Mars, who is breathing heavily, and cough wildly as her skin becomes paler.

Sailor Mercury says, using her computer and visor, "The poison is spreading fast! It is destroying her body rapidly!"

Sailor Saturn tries to use her healing powers, but she says, horrified, "It isn't working!"

Sailor Mercury says, worriedly, "The poison is counterattacking your healing magic, Saturn!"

Sailor Jupiter yells out, worriedly, "Isn't there anything that we can do?!"

Sailor Mercury says, "If I had the time to analyze the poison, I could come up with a counter to it, but we don't have the time. She only has minutes left!"

There are gasps of shock and horror and Keiko says, fearfully, "No!"

Rika says, strongly, "You need to hold on! You are stronger than this!"

Sailor Mars coughs wildly as her condition rapidly deteriorates and Naruto yells out, "Rats! We have to do something!"

Sakura uses her healing jutsu to try to assist, but she says, "I know, Naruto! I know, but my healing jutsu and Sailor Saturn's healing magic, even in unison, aren't doing anything to slow this down! Orochimaru made this poison specifically to counter healing techniques like ours! If we are going to do something, we need to do it fast! She's fading!"

Sailor Venus says, worriedly, "Mars!"

Nagato says, "Then you should use something other than healing." When everyone else looks at Nagato, they see him supported by Konan and he says, "I have a technique that might work that doesn't use healing."

Konan says, realizing something, "No, Nagato!"

Minato says, realizing, "Ah! His **Rinne Rebirth Jutsu**! The ability of the Rinnegan to revive the dead! It is a regeneration and not healing!"

Nagato says, "Correct, Fourth Hokage-dono. It revives the dead by rejuvenates and regenerating the body and transfer the spirit from the 'spirit realms' back into their revitalized body."

Davis asks, "Wait! Don't you need to be dead and have an intact body to make it work?"

Nagato says, "Usually, but her body is now close to death enough that my jutsu will work."

Konan says, "Nagato, you can't! Your body is still suffering from major injuries in your battle! They may not be life-threatening, but even if she isn't dead, she is a powerful being that you are going to attempt to revive…!"

Nagato responds, interrupting, "She needs to live, I do not Konan." Konan gives a look of surprise and Nagato says, "I am product of the world created by Kaguya's and Zetsu's action in corrupting the teachings of the Six Path Sage through humanity is to blame somewhat by letting her 'darkness' control them." Nagato says, looking at Naruto, "The only one that can create a new world is someone that is as noble as the Sage himself."

Naruto says, with a smirk, "Me? Noble? I wouldn't say that."

Sakura says, with a grin, "I wouldn't say humble."

Naruto gives off an annoyed glare and Sailor Venus asks, worriedly, "Can we worry about that after Mars' life is saved?!" Everyone looks to see Sailor Mars start to shake violently as the skin of her face becomes really pale.

Sailor Saturn says, fearfully, "Mars!"

Naruto says, "Maybe I can perform the jutsu since I have Kaguya's power!"

Kushina asks, stunned, "What?!"

Minato says, "Due to Kaguya's power, it might not be as lethal since you are mainly uninjured…"

Nagato says, putting his hands together, "There is no time."

Konan says, worriedly, "Nagato…"

Nagato says, "I'm sorry, Konan, but her light must not vanish since she has important lights that she needs to protect." Nagato says, looking at our heroes and heroines, "Those that are missing are missing due to circumstances that were caused recently and they must be 'lost' in which you must find them. The warrior, Sailor Celestial, is important to our future as it is to the future of this world. Her true power is beyond measure…beyond a Kami. If she and her sister are lost, all will be lost for us all. But in order to find them, they need everyone that they hold dear because if their hearts fall to darkness, all will be reduced to the void." There are surprised looks and Nagato tells Naruto, "I leave not only the future of our world, but the future of us all to you and your friends, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, heir to the Six Path Sage. My hopes and dreams…Yahiko's hopes and dreams of peace are left to you."

" **Rinne Rebirth Jutsu!** "

Nagato then summons a demonic statue from behind him and he roars as it sends energy into Sailor Mars' form, who barely has any life left in her, but she then stops violently shaking for a few moments, however, color returns to her face and she gasps as Sailor Mars is restored.

Sailor Jupiter says, excitedly, "Mars!"

Sailor Mercury says, with a nod, "She is going to be okay!" On the meanwhile, Nagato's hair becomes stark white and his skin pale as the jutsu is finished.

Konan says, weakly, "Nagato…"

Naruto says, "Maybe we can…"

Nagato responds, weakly, "No…Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze…I used my life…energy to restore…her life…despite her…not dying…my injuries…and greatly weakened state…have made it…fatal…I have, but one…request…destroy my body…and my Rinnegan…" There are looks of shock and Nagato says, weakly, "Ensure that the Rinnegan…can never be used…by those…like Madara…Obito…or the mother of the Sage…ensure that MIST…never does…"

Naruto says, with a solemn expression and nod, "You got it."

Nagato says, with a weak smile, "I…thank you…Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze…I know that the future…is safe in your hands…" With those last words, Nagato closes his eyes as the last bits of life fades away and he dies with a smile on his face in which everyone, while Sailor Mars is being helped back to her feet, just give silence as respect to Nagato himself.

 _ **August 2025, Earth, Hayabusa Village**_

Within the Hayabusa Village, our heroes and heroines, joined by Konan and Ryu, are walking into a temple where Konan sets down an urn with a picture of Nagato tied in front of the down in the shrine of the temple.

Ryu says, "Our temple would be honored to house the remains of your friend, Konan-san. He had no truly evil will. He was just misguided."

Konan tells Ryu, "Thank you, Ryu-dono."

Minato tells Konan, "Once we are able, we will return Nagato's remains to our world and to the Rain village."

Konan says, "Thank you. Personally, I think that Nagato would have mixed feelings. He would want to be buried with Yahiko, but he wouldn't want to return to such a place."

Minato says, "Understandable."

Kushina says, "I feel that he should be returned to Whirlpool since he is Uzumaki and he is kin."

Konan tells Kushina, "He would feel honored, but not worthy, Kushina-dono. Most likely, he would feel that he isn't worthy of his Uzumaki ancestors."

Kushina says, "I believe that they would agree that feeling would be wrong."

Konan says, with a smile, "He would be honored to hear those words, Kushina-sama."

Naruto asks Konan, "What will you do now?"

Konan says, "I intend to remain here with the ninja clans of Earth."

Kazuto asks, "What about your people? The Hidden Rain?"

Konan says, "I feel that I should take over for Nagato and Rain must be in chaos with us gone, but…it would be too much trouble."

Mina asks, "How would that be trouble?"

Konan says, "As Nagato already said, we are a product of Kaguya's corruption of our world and the Sage's teachings. And…there is too much blood and pain on our hands and by our hands."

Kazuto says, "It may not be too late to change."

Konan says, "Maybe, Kazuto-san, but I feel that I would cause too many problems than I would solve." Konan looks at Naruto and she says, with a kind smile, "That's why I leave the fate of my people to you. Nagato truly believed in you and so do I."

Naruto replies, "My family, my friends, and I will help your people, you can believe it, Konan-san."

Konan says, with a smile, "I know that you will, Naruto-san." Konan then creates a bouquet of paper flowers in her hands and she gives them to Naruto in which she says, with a smile, "A sign of my faith and trust in you. You need to find those that you love who are missing 'out there'. All of us might be counting on them."

Kazuto says, with a determined tone, "We will, Konan-san. We will find them." A lot of the others nod their heads in agreement with Kazuto and they look at the urn that obvious contains the ashes of Nagato.

Naruto thinks in his mind, _"Don't worry, Nagato. I will make sure that our world has a brighter future, believe it!"_

 _ **August 2025, Earth, Tokyo**_

Standing on one of the buildings in Tokyo, we find Serene, the Sailor Moon of the Fusion Dimension, talking with two people on the rooftop in which one of them looks like a red-haired version of Asuna while the other looks to be dark blue haired version of Suguha.

Serene tells the red-haired version of Asuna, "And that's the situation Alura."

The red-haired version of Asuna says, "I see why you and Kiro-kun called me for help."

Serene says, "People are going to get suspicious if they are missing for too long."

The dark blue-haired version of Suguha says, "This is just great. They know that Academia is looking for us with my counterpart here being the 'top prize'."

Serene says, "No kidding, sis."

The red-haired version of Asuna, Alura, says, "I don't think that it is a good idea for Lea-chan to go out. She is a target like her Standard counterpart."

Serene says, "I know, but this situation really needs her help."

The dark blue-haired version of Suguha says, with a sigh, "Fine."

Serene says, with a nod, "Thank you, Lea."

Alura asks, "What's the plan?'

Serene says, "Make contact with Kiro's Standard counterpart and the others and formalize an alliance of sorts as well as a plan as well as hope that they have a way to cross worlds as soon as possible." Alura and the 'counterpart' to Suguha, known as Lea, nod their heads in agreement in which they start to head off to make contacts with heroes and heroines to discuss on what's going to happen in the future…

 **The End…for now**

And there you go! That's the big fight that happened between Naruto and Pain before our heroes and heroines set off to find their five missing members. I'm not sure that it was as epic as Naruto's battle with Pain in the Naruto canon anime/manga, but I don't think that it is too bad if I say so myself. Anyway, tell me what you think and no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	13. Story 13: Without Sailor Moon

Welcome back, everyone! In this latest story, we are going to explore what happened to the Sailor Scouts and Earth Prince while our Moon Princess was stuck in SAO. You know that they haven't been just 'twiddling their thumbs' during this time, but you have only seen glimpses of what happened to them during SAO. Well, folks, it is time for you to get deeper into the story and you might be surprised what you read. Now, before I begin this next one-shot, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 13: Without Sailor Moon**

Note: This story takes place during and in-between **Chapter 1** and **Chapter 2** of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **November 7, 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Rushing through the streets of Juuban and Tokyo is Darien Shields, wearing a motorcycle outfit and riding a motorcycle in which he is racing through the streets as fast as he can with a look of pure panic in his eyes. After Sailor Moon freed Sailor Galaxia from the wicked entity of Chaos and dispelled all over the universe to seal it away, Darien spent time with the others before deciding to go to America for a year, but only for a year or so. He had recently come back and gotten within the best college in Tokyo in which he left on a 'field course' to study all of Japan's hospitals and 'medicine practitioners' as part of his studies at his college. But now, he is racing back into the city after learning about what's being described as the 'SAO incident' and he remembers talking with his lover, his princess, Serena, about Sword Art Online since her uncle, Akihiko Kayaba, was the creator of the game and the NervGear. While not as much a gamer as his beloved, Darien had respected Kayaba since he knew that he had created a revolution not just in gaming, but a new frontier for humans to explore: The virtual and digital frontier.

But right now, he has just heard that same name has trapped around ten thousand people in that game and programmed their NervGear to destroy their brains if they died in that game or anyone attempted to remove the NervGear itself in which he had just heard that 213 people had already died on the first day alone when their family and friends attempted to do so. Knowing that Ikuko Tsukino is the sister of Akihiko Kayaba and her children are his niece and nephew, in which Sammy was a beta tester for the game, Darien knew that it was easy for Serena to get a hard copy of Sword Art Online and she had told her himself. As he races through the streets, he hopes and prays that for some reason… any reason, she didn't put on the NervGear and is trapped in that 'death game'.

Darien thinks in his mind, _"Please… Please Meatball Head… Please be okay!"_ Soon enough, Darien arrives at the hospital in which if Serena is one of the victims, which Darien hopes against hope, she would be taken here due to the conditions set up by Akihiko Kayaba to allow the transfer of his 'victims'. After finding a place to park, he rushes into the hospital proper and finds a doctor that he is a good friend with. Darien screams out, "Doctor Namishima!"

The doctor looks at Darien and he asks, surprised, "Darien?"

Darien runs over and he says, his voice full of panic, "Doctor Namishima, are the SAO victims being brought to this hospital?"

The doctor responds, a bit nervously, "Yes?"

Darien asks, hoping that the answer to this question is 'no', "Was a girl that goes by the name of Serena Tsukino admitted?"

The doctor asks, "Why do you ask Darien?"

Darien yells out, "She is my girlfriend!"

The doctor's eyes widen, his expression becomes solemn, causing Darien's eyes to widen, and the doctor says, solemnly, "I don't know how to say this Darien… But yes, your girlfriend is one of the ten thousand victims of this horrible incident." It was like a bullet was shot straight through his heart as his worst fears were confirmed and the doctor tells Darien, "She was just admitted. Actually, she is one of the first ones admitted when we learned how to transfer them without triggering the sequence that causes the NervGear to destroy the brain. She is a special hospital room under guard."

Darien asks, "Under guard?"

The doctor responds, "She is the niece of Akihiko Kayaba, the man behind this madness. And right now, more and more people are dying every day and it is for her own protection in which the government is doing its best to make sure that the relation between Kayaba and the Tsukino family aren't found out." Darien realizes that it is for good reason in which they might take out their rage against Kayaba against his helpless beloved despite her being a victim of her own uncle's madness.

Darien tells the doctor, pleadingly, "Namishima-sensei, please! I need to see her!"

The doctor responds, with a solemn nod, "Follow me, Darien. Her family and friends are already there and when they confirm you are her boyfriend, I'm sure that they will let you in." Darien nods as he follows the doctor to a wing of the emergency treatment area of the hospital where there is a room with two military/police guards in which Darien is admitted into the room where he finds, much to his horror and disbelief, Serena's motionless form on the hospital bed, the NervGear attached to her head, and her body connected to various sensors with needles connected to bags to put water and nutrients that her body needs to survive and stay functions. Surrounding her are the Sailor Scouts, all of them having looks of horror and disbelief on their expressions, and her family with her mother crying by her bedside, Sammy, a look of horror on his face with tears streaming down his cheeks, and Kenji, with a look of pure rage in his eyes.

Raye notices him and she says, weakly, "Darien…" However, Darien could only look in disbelief as he sees the love of his two lifetimes lying in that bed, motionless, and he stands there before he stumbles forward in which Amara stops him.

Amara tells Darien, "Easy, Darien. We don't know if anything could set off that thing on her head." Darien nods his head weakly and he is sat by Serena's left side on the bed.

He holds her motionless left hand and he says, tears in his eyes, "Serena… Sere…"

Ami says, weakly, "She can't hear you, Darien. She can't hear anything of us. Her mind is trapped in SAO."

As Darien starts to shed tears, Sammy says, in disbelief, "Why? Why is Uncle Kayaba doing this?! I don't understand!"

Kenji says, in a calm tone, but his rage evident in his voice, "I don't know, son. I just… I just don't know! And right now, I don't care why!" Kenji bangs the wall with his right fist and he yells out, angrily, "We believed in him! He betrayed us! All of us! He betrayed our princess most of all! We thought that he was creating a brand new world… A new frontier! I didn't care much for the games, but even I knew that the creation of the Full-Dive could bring humanity into a new age! And now, he has turned it into a nightmare! He has betrayed our trust and he has betrayed my girl's trust! He believed in him most of all! And now, he has taken her away from us! When I find him, he is going to wish that he was never born into this world!"

Ikuko says, weakly, "Kenji, please don't… this… this isn't helping our girl… our princess…" On the meanwhile, Darien is thinking about all of his memories with Serena, in their past life as Princess Serenity and Prince Endymon, and today, from their first meeting and all of their adventures after Serena became Sailor Moon. After Galaxia, he thought that he and his lover could finally enjoy a time of peace before they had to become Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymon of Crystal Tokyo, but he always knew that future could always be destroyed at a moment's notice since Trista always said that 'the future is like molding clay and can shift forms at any time'. Now, the love of his life is trapped in a virtual world and could die at any time at the hands of her own uncle, a member of her own family that she beloved which was evident in the way that she talked about Kayaba in her own worlds. The knowledge of this turned Darien's sorrow into anger and rage and he quickly gets up from his seat and starts to stomp off.

Lita says, stopping him, "Darien, where are you going?"

Darien responds, pure rage in his voice, "Where do you think, Lita?! I'm going to Argus right now!"

There are gasps and Michelle says, "There are police and government agents already there! You won't be able to get in!"

Darien yells out, enraged, "I don't care Michelle! I'll find a way in and I'll make them tell me where Kayaba is! And when I find him, I will force him to release Serena-chan and the others from this nightmare immediately even if I have to beat him to an inch of his life!"

Raye stomps over to him, slaps him in the face, and she yells at him, "Idiot! Don't you think that any of us don't want to do the same?! But that's not going to help Meatball Head right now! How do you think that she will feel if she knows that we let ourselves get consumed by anger and rage over her and do the unthinkable?! Do you?!" With tears in her eyes, Raye glares at him and Darien's eyes widen in which Raye struck the point home as Darien turns to look at the motionless body of his lover.

Kenji says, with a serious tone and the look of rage in his expression still evidence, "And even if you do find him, I doubt that there is anything that you can do. The bastard is a genius and knowing Kayaba, he has trapped himself in the game to make sure that no one can make him tell how to stop this 'death game' of his, but then again, he could have made it that he couldn't stop it even if he tried."

Trista says, solemnly, "Those are distinct possibilities." Darien lowers his head knowing Kayaba, being as smart as he is, had taken steps, even with himself, to make sure that no one outside would be able to stop his 'death game' and now, he, along with everyone else in the room, are helpless to do anything to help Serena on their end.

Darien slams his fist onto a table that's nearby and he yells out, "Why?! What kind of man does this to their own family?! Especially one who's family cared about him so much before now?!"

Just then a male voice calls out, "That's what we are hoping to find out." Everyone looks to the source to see a man with short messy black hair, circular-square glasses in front of his brown eyes, and wearing a green business suit with a blue tie walking into the room.

Lita yells out, annoyed, "Who the heck are you? How did you get in here?'

The man takes out some kind of government identification and he replies, "My name is Seijirou Kikuoka and I work for Ministry of Internal Affair's Telecommunications Bureau, Advanced Network Division, Second Office. However, we are more commonly known as the 'Virtual Division'. I believe that it is much simpler than that way."

Ami asks, surprised, "You are from the government?"

The man, Seijirou Kikuoka, responds, "Yes. I have been named the head of the government tasked force 'investigating' this…this 'incident'."

Lita yells out, annoyed, "Incident?"

Seijirou says, putting his hands, "Please, I am trying to be kind and trying to blow things out of proportion more than that are."

Amara tells Seijirou, "I doubt that you can do that Seijirou-dono."

Seijirou says, "Yes, you have a point, Miss Ten'ou."

Amara asks, surprised, "You know who I am?"

Seijirou responds, with a kind smile, "Who doesn't know you?"

Michelle tells Amara, with a kind smile, "He does have a point."

Amara nods her head in agreement and Seijirou says, "I'm actually surprised that Miss Tsukino knows people and are close friends to people as friendly as you, but based on what I read on, it really isn't too surprising."

Mina asks, surprised, "You read up on Serena?"

Darien says, "That's not surprising since he has been made the head of this 'case'. He read up on Serena and thus, all of us, to learn about who and what he is dealing with to resolve this nightmare as soon as possible."

Seijirou says, "Correct, Shield-san. I wish for this horror to already end since over two hundred people are already dead."

Kenji yells out, angrily, "So, why aren't you at Argus? Or looking for Kayaba?!"

Seijirou says, "I can assure you that I have people already at Argus and personal looking into Kayaba, but right now, his whereabouts are unknown. His residence is completely empty and Argus personal haven't seen him since the day before. However, we are still interviewing them to see if there are any clues, but they can't exactly help us since they are completely locked out of the servers that run Sword Art Online."

Ami asks, surprised, "Completely locked out?"

Seijirou says, "Yes, they are. They have absolutely no access into the severs and the administrator accounts are overwritten. Basically, they might be able to use them to get inside of SAO, but if they do, they won't be coming out. Kayaba's account access outranks all of theirs and we can't risk their lives since they seem to be completely innocent of Kayaba's actions. It seems like that they had absolutely no idea at all that he would do this."

Ikuko says, "Neither would we! I can't understand why he would do this!"

Seijirou says, pointing to Serena, "Forgive me for being callous, Ikuko-san, but what happened to your daughter reinforces what you are saying quite perfectly." Everyone looks at the motionless Serena on the hospital bed with the NervGear attached to her head keeping her imprisoned in SAO and plenty get a solemn expression. Seijirou says, "If you had anything to do with Kayaba's actions, why would he put your daughter in danger in the first place? In fact, he could have prevented her from getting the game at all or at least, prevented her from logging in. And yet, here she is…another victim of his…insanity."

Hotaru asks, "So, why come to visit her and Serena's family?"

Seijirou says, "While the Tsukino family is COMPLETELY innocent of Kayaba's actions, which my and the ever-growing opinion of government, there might be a clue to figure out Kayaba's intentions if we learn about his history and there is only so much that you can learn from his records. That's why we need your help and theirs."

Sammy asks, annoyed, "What do you mean 'our help'?!"

Kenji tells Sammy, "Sochi, he means that by learning about our history of interactions with 'him', they might get an idea on why he is doing this and where he could be to find him. And then make him stop this nonsense!"

Seijirou says, with a sigh, "That may be hard to do even if we find him." Everyone looks at Seijirou and he says, "You must understand that this isn't something that a rational person would do. A rational person wouldn't trap ten thousand people in something that's supposed to be the next generation of gaming entertainment and turn it into a struggle for life and death. And yet, Kayaba has done this. Reasoning with him may prove impossible."

Ikuko says, worriedly, "No! There has to be a reason! I just can't believe that he would…He was always…Serena and my brother….!" Ikuko then starts to cry and Kenji comforts his wife.

Seijirou bows and he says, "I'm sorry. I guess that it was too soon to come to you for help. You are already in deep shock, some more than others, but trust me, I have your daughter's interests and the interests of everyone affected by this 'tragedy' in mind." Seijirou takes out a card and he says, handing it to Darien, "I must go. Right now, I have to organize the rest of the transport of the other surviving victims, thus far, to the hospitals to put them in life-support like Serena-san, but I fear things are getting worse."

There are looks of shock and surprise and Mina asks, "Worse?"

Seijirou gives a sigh and he says, "This is off-the-record and I must ask you to keep this to yourselves for the time being. And I also must warn you that this might upset you."

Darien says, "You have my promise that it will remain in this room for now." Darien looks at the others and a lot of them nod their heads in agreement.

Seijirou says, "Several hours after Kayaba's announcement, the first death after the initial two hundred has been confirmed."

There are gasps of shock and horror and Raye asks, "Did someone else not heed Kayaba's warning?"

Seijirou says, shaking his head, "No. Someone 'died' in the game causing the NervGear to fry their brain. From what little information that can be gathered from the severs, this person jumped off the floating castle and triggered 'instant death' situation."

There are more gasps and Mina says, shocked, "Oh, Kami!"

Darien says, "Most likely, this person believed that he wasn't killing himself. This person believed that doing that would force him to log out and return to the outside world."

Seijirou says, with a nod, "It is the most likely theory, Shields-san."

Amara says, "The person just couldn't believe something so…farfetched. Being trapped in a game and dying there meant dying in real life."

Lita says, with a nod, "No kidding. It seems like science fiction, an anime, or something like that."

Seijirou says, nodding his head, "Indeed. So, it is understanding that people are hard-pressed to believe that they are in such a situation in real-life, physical or virtual, and my colleges fear that it will only cause the death rate to rise. As the 'players' are trying to venture through the game, the mentally of that fashion will cause them to make 'mistakes' and any 'mistakes' could prove fatal." Fear and worry goes through Ikuko's heart and mind and she looks at the motionless body of her daughter with great fear and concern in her eyes. Seijirou says, "When you are able to speak to us, we'll be waiting."

Seijirou bows in front of the group and Trista asks Seijirou, "Seijirou-dono, may I have a word with you?"

Seijirou asks, curiously, "Yes?" Trista then escorts Seijirou out of the room as everyone else looks at the motionless form of our Moon Princess can't help to worry and wonder.

 _ **November 7, 2022, Tokyo, Unknown location**_

Somewhere within Tokyo, a group of shadowy figures are gathered together and there are holographic screens showing news reports about what is being called the 'SAO Incident'.

One of them asks, in a male voice, "Did everyone feel that?"

Another one says, in a female voice, "Yes. The balance has been thrown off. It is obvious that this chaos is part of it."

The first one that spoke says, "But this 'incident' isn't enough to throw off the balance as it could. There is something more. Everyone can feel it."

A third figure says, in a male voice, "Yes, it feels like the powers of the Sailor Scouts have grown…weaker."

The first figure says, "It's true. The powers of the Sailor Scouts seem to be weaker than before. Most likely, due to this 'incident', but we can't exactly be sure."

The second figure, the female one, says, "You think that one or more of the Sailor Scouts were trapped and killed? That would be good."

The first figure says, "No. Their powers are weaker, but they aren't gone. They haven't returned to the 'cosmic forces' where their powers came from which is when Sailor Scouts that haven't been reborn go back to."

The second figure asks, "Then why are their powers weaker?"

The first figure says, "I believe that you might have been half right. One or more of them might be trapped in that 'death game'."

The third figure asks, curiously, "The weakness in their power is significant. I doubt that it can just be one."

The first figure says, "Unless…"

The second figure asks, curiously, "Unless what?"

The first figure says, "Unless SHE is 'involved' in this 'incident'."

There are gasps and the second figure asks, "You mean…?"

The first figure says, "Yes, if it is true, it could explain a few things. If SHE is trapped in there, this could be an excellent chance."

The second figure asks, "But how can we be so sure?"

The first figure says, "We may have a way."

The third figure asks, "How?"

The first figure says, "A few surviving comrades from the base at the North Pole inform us of a possible solution." The other figures look at each other and while the first figure's facial features can't be seen, we can see a sinister smirk coming from this figure's face.

 _ **November 10, 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District, Cherry Hill Shrine**_

Within Cherry Hill Shrine, the Shinto temple that also serves as our Sailor Scout of Mars' home, Darien and the Sailor Scouts are assembled together and discussing SAO. Yesterday, they were at hospital and by Serena's body in which they managed to use Michelle's Aqua Mirror to manage to see their princess within her virtual avatar in the virtual world of SAO and using their powers, manage to 'connect' with her to give her the courage to fight for her freedom and the freedom of everyone else trapped inside of that virtual 'death game'. Right now, they are discussing the current situation dealing with SAO.

Amara asks Trista, "So, you and Ami-chan are part of the government task force that's dealing with this mess?"

Trista says, with a nod, "Indeed. Along with Ikuko-san as well."

Darien says, "By this time, the government completely and absolutely believes that Kayaba is doing this on his own. He left quite a bit of evidence to show that."

Lita says, with a snarl, "No freaking kidding!"

Darien says, "However, because of that, the government is fearing for the safety of all of Kayaba's family. They are moving to 'erase' all traces of Serena's and her immediate family's 'connections' to Kayaba and just in case, they are keeping a constant guard at Serena's hospital room with the staff only knowing that Serena is 'important' and that there are people that would want to use her 'inability' to protect herself to 'give her harm'. And they said that THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ASKED."

Trista says, nodding her head, "I believe that's a wise decision. If our princess' family connection to Kayaba was discovered, her life would be in greater danger than any of the others trapped in SAO."

Mina yells out, "But that's stupid! She is a victim just like the rest of the people that are trapped in that horrible 'death game'!"

Amara tells Mina, "It won't matter to the grieving families, friends, and other 'loved ones' of those that died because of Kayaba…" Amara says, with a solemn tone, "And those that are still dying and will die."

Hotaru asks Amara, "Amara-papa, you are making it sound that this will last a long time?"

Michelle sighs and tells Hotaru, "Firefly, this isn't going like the battles that we have fought before. This is much different."

Amara says, "The best way to end this is a way to log the people out of SAO without frying their brains and that won't be easy."

Hotaru looks at Ami and Ami says, solemnly, "The NervGear is an incredible piece of machinery and I am hard-pressed to understand it in which finding a way to disable will be very hard. It seems to be designed and most likely, it is designed not to be tampered with unless there are consequences for the one wearing it."

Trista tells Hotaru, "And that means that we won't be able to get Serena-hime and the others out of SAO too soon."

Amara says, "And that means that more people are going to…suffer." Amara says, with a plain tone, "And more people that 'suffer', the angrier friends, family, and loved ones of those victims are going to grow in numbers wanting revenge."

Hotaru asks, worriedly, "And they will want to take their revenge against Serena and her family just because they are related to Kayaba?"

Amara says, solemnly, "Sad, but true, Firefly."

Lita says, angrily, "But that's not fair!"

Darien tells Lita, "I know that it isn't fair, Lita-chan. We all feel the same, but it is human nature."

Amara says, with a nod, "True…But it doesn't mean that we don't like it."

Raye says, "And that's not the only thing that we need to worry about."

When everyone else focuses on Raye, Ami asks, "What do you mean Raye?"

Just then the two talking felines, Luna and Artemis, appear and Luna asks, "Does this have to do with putting those seals in Serena's hospital room?"

Mina asks, confused, "Huh? Why did you do that?"

Raye says, worriedly, "I can feel it." Raye asks Amara, "And you can, too, can't you?"

Amara says, "So, you felt it, huh? That's not good."

Mina asks, confused, "What do you mean?"

Michelle says, "Amara has been feeling a powerful darkness in the air and it is growing."

Ami asks Raye, realizing something, "Has the fire shown you something?"

Raye says, "Yes. It tells me…that evil has sensed Meatball Head's 'absence'. Somehow, they know that Sailor Moon has been 'disabled'."

There are gasps of shock and Darien asks, seriously, "Are you sure?"

Raye says, with a nod, "I'm very certain. Somehow, THEY know. And the world is in more danger than ever before since Meatball Head being trapped in SAO has caused the world to become unbalanced."

Hotaru asks, curiously, "But how?"

Amara says, "Serena is the strongest of all since she wields the power of the Imperium Silver Crystal and with Serena 'captured' in SAO, it means that a great power of 'light' has been put 'out of action' meaning the 'darkness' can make advances."

Lita says, "That means that it is left to us to fill in the gap."

Raye asks, curiously and in a serious tone, "Can we? Has there been a serious fight that we were TRULY NEVER had Sailor Moon on our side?" The Sailor Scouts and Darien look at each other in which Luna and Artemis do the same knowing that there are going to be new battles ahead and they may be harder than they have ever faced before.

 _ **November 10, 2022, Tokyo, Unknown location**_

At the unknown location, the figures that were talking before are surrounded by various youma similar to the ones that the Sailor Scouts, namely the Inner Sailor Scouts, have fought during their battles with Queen Beryl/Metallia and the Negaverse are looking at someone in front of them.

One of them says, with a male voice, "Your knowledge in the Sailor Scouts is most appreciated."

The figure 'on the floor' says, with a sly tone, "Beryl was stupid not to listen to me and don't give any excuses for her."

Another figure says, with a female voice, "We are not. You are right, Jadeite."

The figure 'on the floor' walks forward, revealing none other than Jadeite, and he says, with an evil grin, "Queen Beryl should have at least listened to me before she sealed me up. I could have given her the key to victory, but she let her emotions get the better of her. Now, she is nothing more than dust thanks to the one that she hated the most."

The male figure says, "Indeed, Jadeite."

Jadeite says, "I'm still find it shocking that Moon brat is none other than the Moon Princess herself, but then again, I should have known tuxedo clad fool was none other than the reincarnation of Prince Endymon." Jadeite says, with an evil smile, "However, I love the fact that it is none other than a member of her own family that has backstabbed and trapped her. It is so perfectly ironic and it makes drool in excitement knowing that her demise will come by the hands of someone that she once loved so much."

The female figure says, "Don't be so sure that she will die in SAO, Jadeite."

Jadeite asks, with a glare, "What's that supposed to mean?"

The male figure says, "Ever since your last defeat by Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars, all of the Sailor Scouts of the Solar System have gathered together now. The Outer and Inner Sailor Scouts are now one even through they don't always agree. Plus, Sailor Moon has grown stronger too. Watch, Jadeite." Soon after, holographic screens show Jadeite all of the adventures of the Sailor Scouts since the defeat of the Negaverse: From the Doom Phantom to Sailor Galaxia/Chaos. Jadeite is shocked by a lot of what he sees.

Jadeite yells out, shocked, "Wait! That little brat becomes the ruler of the planet?"

The female figure says, with a nod, "In the current timeframe, she is destined to become Neo-Queen Serenity, ruler of the new Silver Millennium, with her husband, King Endymon, and their daughter, Princess Rini, who is also Sailor Mini-Moon, Sailor Moon's successor as a Sailor Scout."

Jadeite says, with a snarl, "Like mother, like daughter."

The male figure says, "Correct, Jadeite. However, we said the 'current time frame' and as you know, the future is always in motion. It doesn't mean that the future will end the way that they have seen it in their earlier adventures. It can always change."

Jadeite says, with an evil smile, "Yes." Jadeite says, "Then we should make sure that Endymon's wretched princess doesn't have a chance to take the throne."

The female figure says, "If you mean by taking her out directly, it is impossible at this time."

Jadeite asks, confused, "What do you mean?"

The female figure says, "Sailor Mars has sensed our growing strength even through she can't sense who we are and where we are, but she can tell that we are waiting to make our move. She has placed a powerful protection field around Sailor Moon's hospital room with another barrier around the hospital that her body is staying at. They have placed the broach with the Silver Crystal that location to allows it power to keep Sailor Moon's body from decline as much as the others and also to protect it from us. The barrier is very powerful and has multiple layers. Attacking her directly is impossible."

The male figure says, "And most likely, Sailor Mercury has set up other defenses that we have no idea about. They are more capable than when you fought them, Jadeite."

Jadeite says, with a nod, "Point taken. They have grown stronger than I last fought them."

The male figure says, with an evil sly tone, "But then again, we have grown stronger than you have last fought them and we have fought Sailor Venus."

Jadeite says, "I was surprised that elements of the Dark Agency survived. We thought that you were wiped out by the time that we started our attacks here."

The female figure says, with a sly tone, "You need to give up more credit, Jadeite."

Jadeite asks, "So, what shall we do now?"

The male figure says, "Now, we make our move."

Jadeite asks, "Do we gather energy?"

The male figure says, "No, Jadeite."

Jadeite asks, curiously, "No?"

The male figure says, "We have been gathering our strength ever since Sailor Venus went off to join with the rest of the Inner Scouts and her princess, foolishly thinking that we were no more. We have been waiting in the shadows as we gathered our strength and 'feeding' off the remnants of the negative and evil powers of their defeated foes including Chaos. However, this time, we will not remain in the shadows. No, this time, we will step into the light and make the humans fear us, Jadeite. We are coming out of the dark, Jadeite. This time, we are taking the fight to the Sailor Scouts themselves in the light of day."

Jadeite gives a look of surprise from this statement, but he then gives an evil smile and he says, "That sounds excellent."

 _ **November 11, 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Within the Juuban District, Amara and Michelle are driving through the streets in a sports car with Amara driving in her 'usual fashion'.

Michelle says, with a smile, "Easy, Amara-chan."

Amara tells Michelle, "I wish that I could."

Michelle tells Amara, "We, all, feel the same way as you do, Amara-chan."

Amara says, "At least, Ami-chan and Trista have joined up with the government task force that they set up and the transfers happened safely with no incidents."

Michelle says, with a smile, "That's a good thing."

Amara says, "That's the only good thing to happen in this mess. I still can't believe a member of Kitten's family could something like this."

Michelle says, "Nobody really suspected that he could. He had everyone fooled."

Amara says, with a snarl, "If we ever find him…No, we will find him and we will make sure that justice will be served."

Michelle says, "It doesn't seem so easily. The government took all of the information that Serena-hime's family could provide and they are no closer to find him. He made sure that there were no clues in his office at Argus or at his living quarters. He had thoroughly prepared for this."

Amara says, with a nod, "He was preparing for this for a long time and he didn't care who got her including Kitten. From what we knew, she loved him like a second father and now…"

Michelle says, finishing and nodding her head, "He betrayed her in the worst way possible." Michelle tells Amara, "However, Serena is in SAO and fighting to help herself and everyone else still alive in there to escape."

Amara says, "Yes, but we can't help her at all! We are…"

Michelle says, with a warm smile, "I know, Amara-chan. We may not be able to help her, but we aren't helpless. What we can do is keep the 'outside world' safe for her when she gets back from SAO and try to end SAO as soon as possible from our end."

Amara sighs and she says, with a smile, "Yeah, you're right." Just then there is a massive explosion a short distance away and Amara stops the car in which as she pulls the car over to the side in which she yells out, surprised, "What the heck was that?!"

Michelle says, "I don't know." Immediately, Amara and Michelle leap out of the car and head to the source of the explosion where they are shocked to find a huge female youma wearing armor that designed to look like pieces of a semi-trailer that act as her clothing.

Amara asks, surprised, "A youma?! In brought daylight in a major crowded area?!" Soon after, the youma rampages through area and attacking civilians while NOT absorbing their energy.

Michelle asks, "He's attacking people with draining their energy? Why?"

Amara yells out, "We don't have time, Michelle! They need our help!" Michelle nods her head in agreement and she and Amara take out their transformation wands.

" **Uranus Crystal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Neptune Crystal Power, Make-up!** "

In classic fashion, Amara's and Michelle's clothing melts away as they are replaced by their sailor fukus and when their transformations are done with Super Sailor Uranus and Super Sailor Neptune in which they leap into the fight.

Sailor Uranus shouts out, "Hey, you overgrown garbage van!" When the youma looks at Sailor Uranus, she shouts out, "Soldier of the Wind, Sailor Uranus!"

Sailor Neptune yells out, "Soldier of Waves: Sailor Neptune!"

Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune say in unison, "In the name of the planets and these people, we will punish you!"

The youma retorts, with a sly sneer, "Give me a break! I'm Dragster and I'm going to mow you down!" The youma, Dragster, charges right at Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune.

" **Uranus World Shaking!** "

Sailor Uranus unleashes her planet-shaped energy sphere of wind energy at Dragster, but the attack instantly dispels and the youma just cheers in reply in which Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune leap out of the way of the youma as she smashes through cars and walls of buildings.

Sailor Neptune says, "That youma is strong!"

Sailor Uranus says, with a serious tone, "No kidding!" Dragster bursts back through building walls and sending cars flying through the air in which civilians yell as the debris lands nearby.

" **Neptune Deep Submerge!** "

Sailor Neptune fires her planet-shaped water magic attack at Dragster, but it dispels when it hits Dragster and the massive youma keeps going!"

Sailor Neptune shouts out, "No way!"

Sailor Uranus says, seriously, "Move, Neptune!" Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune dodge another assault and the youma then move to attack the innocent people trying to get away.

Sailor Neptune shouts out, "No!" Sailor Neptune leaps in-between the innocent civilians and the youma attacking them in which she brings out her Aqua Mirror.

" **Submarine Reflection!** "

Sailor Neptune unleashes a powerful stream of water from her Aqua Mirror in which it manages to slow down Dragster, but it doesn't come close to stopping to the powerful youma.

" **Space Sword Blaster!** "

Sailor Uranus attacks Dragster from the side with a wave of energy from her Space Sword, but the attack doesn't even cause her to flinch causing Sailor Uranus to shout out, stunned, "No way!"

Sailor Neptune says, straining to hold Dragster, "This youma…is stronger…than any…enemy…that we faced…!" Sailor Neptune grunts as Dragster breaks her attack in which the shockwave from the backlash sends Sailor Neptune to the ground, hard!

Sailor Uranus yells out, shocked, "Neptune!" But before Sailor Uranus can say or do anything else, Dragster is upon her and slap Sailor Uranus right into the side of a car causing her to gasp out as the air is knocked out of her while the side of the car that she hit caves in due to the sheer force of the impact which also shatters the windows.

Dragster says, with a sly sneer, "Ha! You, Sailor Wimps, are no match for us!"

Sailor Neptune thinks in her mind, _"Such power!"_

Dragster then looms over Sailor Neptune and the youma yells out, "And you're the first to go!"

Sailor Uranus says, weakly, "No…Neptune…"

" **Pluto Deadly Scream!** "

Just then another planet-shaped energy sphere, colored pink this time, slams into the side of Dragster, but like the other attacks before it, the attack is negated when it hits Dragster and Dragster looks to see Super Sailor Pluto.

Sailor Pluto says, "If you think that you are so superior fighting a helpless foe, then you aren't as strong as you think you are! I'm the guardian of time and the underworld: Sailor Pluto!"

Dragster says, with a sinister smile, "And you are just meat to me!" Dragster charges at Sailor Pluto and she just stands there.

Sailor Neptune shouts out, "Pluto, g-get out of the way!" But when it seems that Dragster is going to ram into Sailor Pluto, she side-steps Dragster and manages to trip causing her to fall and barrel through a building and into the next street where she slams into the hard ground with a huge 'crash' which sends a lot of dust and debris high into the air.

Sailor Pluto leaps over to Sailor Neptune, who gets to her feet, and asks, "Are you okay?"

Sailor Uranus stumbles over and she asks, with a grunt of pain, "Do we look okay?"

Sailor Pluto says, seriously, "We need to combine powers! Put your weapons with Garnet Staff and combine powers! Hurry!" Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune nod their heads as Sailor Uranus touches her Space Sword to Pluto's specter while Sailor Neptune does the same with Aqua Mirror causing all three Sailor Scouts to glow as they focus their energies to the front of Sailor Pluto's Garnet Staff as Dragster bursts through another building only to see what's happening.

Dragster shouts out, surprised, "What?!"

Sailor Pluto yells out, strongly, "Now! Full power!" All three Outer Sailor Scouts fire a combined beam of aqua-blue, orange, and dark pink energy that slams into Dragster with terrific force and the powerful youma strains to hold it back while the three Sailor Scouts strain to beat him. After a minute or so, the three Sailor Scouts' combined attack get through and Dragster roars out as she is vaporized by a strong explosion that leaves a significant crater in the concrete when the explosion, along with the dust and debris, dies down.

Soon after, Sailors Uranus and Neptune collapse to their knees and Sailor Uranus says, "That bitch was tough!"

Sailor Pluto says, sweating somewhat, "And I fear that she will be a rule and not the exception, Uranus."

The other two Sailor Scouts look at Sailor Pluto in shock and Sailor Uranus says, "Please tell me that you made a mistake or stupid joke."

Sailor Pluto responds, "I believe that the words are this: I wish." Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune look at each other and hope that Sailor Pluto is mistaken.

 _ **November 14, 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District, Cherry Hill Shrine**_

Within Cherry Hill Shrine, Sailor Pluto's words are proven true as we find Darien and the Sailor Scouts assembled together in Cherry Hill Shrine, Raye's/Sailor Mars' Shinto shrine home, where we find Hotaru using her healing powers on Lita's left arm.

When she is done, Hotaru asks Lita, "Is that okay?"

Lita flexes her arm and she responds, with a grin, "Good as new! Thanks, Hotaru!"

Hotaru says, with a smile, "I'm glad that I could help, Lita-chan."

Amara tells Trista, "You weren't kidding, Trista."

Darien says, "They know."

Trista says, with a nod, "Yes. They know that Sailor Moon can't help us right now. They know that we are weakened."

Mina asks, "Are you sure?"

Darien says, "The attacks started only shortly after Serena got trapped in SAO. This is no mere coincidence."

Amara says, with a nod, "Agreed."

Lita asks, "But how do they know?"

Trista says, "Probably. They have beings that can sense the 'cosmic balance' like Amara and Raye can do."

Raye says, "But that wouldn't give them an idea that Meatball Head was 'out of action'! They would need to know…!" Raye and Amara gasp as they leap to their feet.

Lita asks, "What?"

Raye says, with a serious tone, "Trouble!"

Amara yells out, with a serious tone, "Outside!" Everyone then runs outside and when they are outside, they gasp to see Jadeite, looking transparent, and floating in the skies above them.

Ami says, shocked, "Jadeite!"

Hotaru asks, "You mean the first general of the Negaverse that you, Raye, and Serena-hime fought?"

Darien says, with a nod, "That's right, Hotaru." Darien says, with a sneer, "Jadeite and the other generals of the Negaverse are also former members of my 'elite guard' back when I was Prince Endymon of Elysium, the central kingdom of Earth at the time of the Silver Millennium, but they betrayed me for Beryl and Metallia."

Lita yells out, annoyed, "What does he want?"

Jadeite's hologram shouts out, "Attention people of Tokyo! I'll make my point, plain and clear! I am the enemy of the Sailor Scouts that has been sending the monsters that have been rampaging for the last three days!"

Raye says, with a sneer, "I knew it! I should have known that it was him!"

Ami asks, "But how is he still around?"

Darien says, "I don't know, Ami. I thought that he was finished when we battled him at the airport."

Jadeite's hologram yells out, "I bring a challenge to the Sailor Scouts and their friend, Tuxedo Mask! Meet me where we have fought in our last battle before now: The Tokyo airport! If you don't comply, I will attack the Argus headquarters and sabotage the SAO servers!"

There are gasps of shock and horror and Mina yells out, "No, he can't!"

Jadeite's hologram shouts out, with an evil sly tone, "Come and get me if you dare!" Jadeite, via the hologram, laughs evilly before the holographic video fades out.

Raye yells out, angrily, "Jadeite!"

Lita asks, "Could he know?"

Darien says, seriously, "I don't know how, Lita!"

Amara says, "It could be possible that he is just using the SAO victims as hostages to lure us into his trap. He may not know that Sailor Moon is trapped in SAO."

Darien says, "I hope so, Amara. Right now, we don't have a choice. Serena's life is in danger."

Lita says, "No damn kidding! We have to help her!"

The others nod their heads in agreement and Trista says, "But it will be a difficult fight. If the youma have gained greater power, then it is possible that Jadeite has gained greater power too." The others can't help to mentally agree with Trista and they feel that this could be their toughest fight yet especially WITHOUT Sailor Moon to aid them.

 _ **November 14, 2022, Tokyo, Kawagoe**_

In the area of Kawagoe, Saitama prefecture, there is old Japanese-style house, lingering alongside the dated streets of southern Saitama containing a two-story main residence building and a private dojo in which inside of the main residence building, we find a young girl of around 13 years of age with short black hair and dark grey eyes, almost blackish which is staring at the television with news reporters going on about the 'monster attacks' that are happening in broad daylight in Tokyo with the Sailor Scouts becoming more 'public'.

The news anchor, a young man, says, "It has been around three days, but the whole district of Juuban seems to be under siege. These 'monster attacks' have caused millions of dollars of damages and hundreds have been wounded thus far. Thankfully, there have been no fatalities, but experts believe that can't last forever. With the nation and the worlds already shaken with what is being called the 'SAO Incident' with the world's first VRMMO being turned into a 'death game' for those trapped within, the world can't help to wonder if Tokyo if not the whole nation and the world is under siege. These 'monster attacks' aren't new to the district and in fact, the district has been well-known for these 'monster attacks', but all of the attacks, too numerous to be just an 'illusion', paranoia, or something of the like along with so many eye-witnesses and victims giving off similar if not the same stories, have been 'isolated incidents' which haven't spread into major attacks like these thanks to the mysterious Sailor Scouts. Beautiful young women with attire and powers that you would have thought only seen in anime and manga. The famous 'magical girls' of Juuban, who are usually lead by the mysterious Sailor Moon, have taken care of these 'monster attacks' while people don't suffer major injuries. They have been going on for the past two years in Juuban and seem to have been contained…until now. Usually, these 'monster attacks' have been isolated incident with a single victim and sometimes with eye-witnesses that witness the event in which the majority of them have been 'in the shadows'. But now, the attacks have become all-out battles with areas of Juuban becoming literal war-zones with major damage and people getting caught in crossfire in which the 'monsters' have targeted the people. The Sailor Scouts stepped 'out of the shadows' to battle the monsters, but they and their ally, the mysterious Tuxedo Mask, are BARELY able to fight them in which takes an extended time period before they finally put down the monster and taking much more effort than they had to before in which they are suffering nasty injuries in the process…"

As the news anchor continues to give their report on the situation in Juuban, the young teen girl thinks, _"Oh, great! First, my big brother is trapped in that stupid game and now, it looks like we're going to be trapped with in a full-scale 'monster war' soon! I feel…I feel so helpless! Kazuto…big brother…what should I do? I wish that you were here!"_

Tears start to stream down the young girl's eyes as we hear the news anchor say, "One thing is well-known about these latest 'assaults': Sailor Moon is missing. With the recently appearances of the Sailor Scouts and their ally, Tuxedo Mask, to fight these monsters, their iconic leader seems to be missing from the action. What is happening? Where is Sailor Moon…?" As the news anchor continues, there is a faint glow from the forehead of this young girl, but it vanishes as quickly as it appeared, so, if somebody else were around, they wouldn't have noticed.

 _ **November 14, 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

At the hospital where Serena's body is, we find Darien looking down at her motionless form within her hospital bed.

Darien goes over, takes her motionless hand, and he thinks, gently squeezing it, _"Serena, please give us strength. Our enemies have grown strong while they were hiding from our sight and they are using your inability to help us to try to destroy everything that you hold dear. But while you can't be here with us, physically, we know that you are here for us in spirit. Don't worry, Meatball Head. We won't let you down!"_ Darien gently releases Serena's hand and leaves the room.

 _ **November 14, 2022, SAO**_

Within the virtual world of Sword Art Online, we are on the fields of the main fields of the first floor of Aincrad/SAO where we find a female player wearing a white hooded cloak wearing mainly 'starter gear' with a one-handed sword known as Anneal Blade in her hands. She then stops in her tracks and takes off her hooded to reveal the face of none other than our Moon Princess in which she puts her free left hand over her virtual avatar's right hand as well as looking up into the sky.

Our Moon Princess thinks in her mind, as she looks into the virtual skies, _"Darien-kun?"_

 _ **November 14, 2022, Tokyo**_

At Tokyo's main airport, in the evening hours, we find Tuxedo Mask and the Sailor Scouts assembled together at the airport which has been evacuated in which Sailor Mercury is scanning for any signs of their enemy.

Sailor Jupiter asks, "Find anything Mercury?"

Sailor Mercury says, shaking her head, "No, Jupiter."

Sailor Uranus says, "Well, the enemy is around here. I can feel it."

Sailor Mars says, with a nod, "Uranus is right. I can feel the evil around here."

Sailor Venus asks, "Then why does Mercury's scanners detect anything?"

Sailor Pluto says, "They could have gained ways to jam her visor's and computer's scanners."

Just then Sailor Mercury says, "Wait!" Everyone looks at Sailor Mercury and she then tells everyone, "I'm getting a reading. It is coming from…above?!"

The others get confused and Sailor Saturn asks, confused, "Above?" Everyone looks towards the skies and they don't see anything at first, but they hear something. The sounds that they are hearing is similar to the sounds coming from a jet and the group sees someone or something coming out of the clouds.

Sailor Saturn asks, "What is that?"

The 'figure' keeps coming in which when they get a good view, Tuxedo Mask and our Sailor Scouts gasp in shock in which Sailor Jupiter yells out, flabbergasted, "You have got to be kidding me!" What Tuxedo Mask and the Sailor Scouts are looking at a youma that looks a lot like a B-52 bomber!

Sailor Venus asks, shocked, "How did they get that?"

As the bomb bay doors of the 'bomber' open up, Sailor Uranus shouts out, "Does it really matter? Move!" Soon enough, the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask scatter around as the 'bomber youma' unleashes a rain of bombs in which when they hit the ground, they cause strong explosions that are demolishing much of the area around the airport in which they barely avoid getting hurt by the shockwaves from said explosions through one manages to through Sailors Venus and Jupiter into the side of car causing them significant damage to the car while stunning the two Sailor Scouts and causing them some minor injuries.

Sailor Saturn says, concerned, "Venus! Jupiter!" Sailor Saturn leaps into action and gets to the two injured Sailor Scouts in which she uses her powers to quickly heal them and restore their strength.

Sailor Jupiter says, with a smile, "Thanks, Saturn."

Sailor Saturn says, with a nod, "I'm happy to help."

The others gather around Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn and Tuxedo Mask says, "They must be using the fact that Sailor Moon isn't with us to their advantage."

Sailor Uranus says, "She is the only one of us that can fly."

Sailor Mars says, annoyed, "Great! Insult and injury all in one!"

Sailor Pluto says, "I believe that's the meaning of this fight, Mars."

Just a female voice booms from the 'youma bomber', with an evil sly tone, "Bingo, Sailor Dopes! Without your precious Moon Princess, you can't hope to beat me since not only she is your strongest member, but she is the only one among you that can fly! You can leap higher than regular humans, but you can't reach me here!"

Sailor Jupiter shouts out, "Don't need to, Nega-trash!"

The 'youma bomber' retorts, "Heh! If you think that you can be Skyler with empty threats, think again, Sailor Wimps! Now, fire in the hole!" Just then out of the 'bomber youma's', Skyler's, still open bomb bays, a ridiculous amount of ordinance including mini-guns, rapid-fire cannons, and even a 105mm howitzer come out and aim for Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Scouts.

Sailor Uranus yells out, "Scatter now!" The Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask immediately scatter as Skyler unleashes an all-out assault with all sorts of fire causing immense danger to the area of the airport that our hero and heroines and all around since Skyler doesn't seem to be willing taking aim at them.

As explosions hit all around them, Sailor Mars shouts out, "She isn't aiming at all!"

Sailor Jupiter says, "She is just spraying the whole of the airport trying to get to us!"

Sailor Uranus says, "And eventually, she might if we don't keep moving!" Right now, all the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask can do is avoid getting hit by the attacks and the explosions, with shockwaves, caused by the attacks by the massive youma bomber.

Sailor Saturn shouts out, worriedly, "What can we do?!"

Sailor Venus yells out, "You got me!"

Tuxedo Mask roars out, "We need to stop her or the whole area of the airport and beyond will be destroyed!"

Sailor Venus shouts out, "I'm open to suggestions!" She yelps out as she dodges another series of attacks and explosions from Skyler in which the Sailor Scouts are unable to do anything in which they don't have time to even use their powers to attack with Skyler laughing evilly at their seemly helplessness.

Skyler yells out, "Give it up, Sailor Failures! Without Sailor Moon, you are nothing! You can't win!"

Sailor Jupiter shouts out, in a determined tone, "Wrong, you piece of Nega-trash! She might not be here physically, but Sailor Moon is still with us!"

Sailor Uranus yells out, strongly, "And for her and this whole city, we will fight and win!"

Tuxedo Mask thinks in his mind, _"That's right! We can't give up! Serena is counting on us to keep the city and the world safe for her until she or we find a way to end SAO! We have to win this fight! There are too many lives on the line, but this youma is incredible! She is nothing like the youma we have fought before and we can't get to her in which we can't get to her to attack! We need to distract her…!"_ Just then an idea forms in Tuxedo Mask's mind and he quickly gets to the highest part of the airport still standing: The air control tower. It has suffered some damage, but nothing critical to its structure. Tuxedo Mask shouts out, "Hey, youma!" The youma turns towards Tuxedo Mask and he yells out, "Come and get me!" Skyler, thinking that Tuxedo Mask is an easy target, turns towards Tuxedo Mask.

Sailor Mercury shouts out, confused and concerned, "Tuxedo Mask, what are you doing?!"

Sailor Venus yells out, "Get out of there!" However, Tuxedo Mask doesn't and when Skyler gets close, Tuxedo Mask unleashes a storm of roses that unleash their petals causing them to hit Skyler in her 'head' where they gather and blind her.

Skyler shouts out, "Hey, I can't see!" Tuxedo Mask, quickly and easily, bounds off the roof and runs to safety as Skyler crashes into the tower causing it and her to crash to the ground with a mighty 'crash' and 'thud'.

Sailor Jupiter says, "He got her!"

Tuxedo Mask yells out, "Combine powers! We can't take the chance that she could withstand the attack and get back in the air!"

Sailor Pluto says, strongly, "Follow Tuxedo Mask's plan!"

Sailor Neptune says, with a nod, "Wise idea!" Soon enough, as Skyler struggles to recover, the Sailor Scouts assemble together and combine their powers together.

" **Sailor Planet Power!** "

The Sailor Scouts unleash a powerful rainbow-colored attack right at Skyler as the bomber youma regains her senses only to scream out in pain and agony as she is slowly vaporized into nothingness and when the smoke and dust clear from the powerful attack, the Sailor Scouts collapse to their knees or sit on the ground from exhaustion due to the sheer power that they had to use in their attack.

Sailor Venus asks, weakly, "D-Did we win?"

Sailor Jupiter says, with a nod, "Y-Yeah, we did."

Tuxedo Mask says, with a smile, "Sailor Moon would be proud of you."

Sailor Pluto says, with a nod and smile, "And you, too, Tuxedo Mask. You are the one that led us to victory this day."

Tuxedo Mask says, "True, Pluto. Today, anyway, but it is only just the beginning."

Sailor Pluto says, with a nod, "I fear that you may be right." As the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask rest from their harsh fight, they don't know is that someone from some distance away is watching them before turning to leave them by bounding by the rooftops into the night.

 _ **November 14, 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Returning to the Juuban District, we are inside of a shop known as Osaka-P, a jewelry store, which also acts as the current home to the Baker family and right now, we are inside of a room where a cat with brown fur, large blue eyes, and a rainbow-colored star is resting on a tablet until this feline hears a door open and sees Molly Baker, childhood friend of Serena Tsukino, enter the room.

The cat then says, in a female voice, "I take it that you didn't need to help."

Molly responds, "Thankfully, Aurora. But it was close…I mean REALLY close."

The cat says, "I know that you want to help them, Aurora, but our mission takes importance."

Molly says, "I understand, Aurora."

Molly sighs and the cat, Aurora, tells her, "I know what you are feeling, Molly. However, there is nothing that you can do. You have to leave up her guardians to figure out a way to get her and the others out of SAO or she fights her way to freedom."

Molly says, with a nod, "I know, Aurora. However, I can't help to feel so helpless. Serena and I were childhood friends in two lifetimes and like in the Silver Millennium, our 'duties' caused us to go apart. And now, she is fighting for her life in that horror that was supposed to be a 'new adventure' for so many people." Molly says, with a sigh, "He betrayed her in the Silver Millennium and now, he betrays her in this life too."

Aurora says, "We had hoped that the two of 'them' weren't the same person, but there was nothing that we could do. We had no evidence and he gave no clue at all that he would do something like this."

Molly asks, "What do you think that he wants?"

Aurora tells Molly, "You may be missing fragments of your memories, but you know what he wants."

Molly gives a sigh and she says, "We had hoped that she would be able to live in peace." Molly asks, "Do you think that she has awakened?"

Aurora says, "I'm not sure, Molly. However, she is the most powerful Sailor Scout of them all, so, her powers may take time to fully awaken, so, it isn't outside of the realm of reason that her 'awakening' has started."

Molly says, "Things aren't going to be same for Serena and all of us."

Aurora says, with a nod and solemn tone, "I agree."

 _ **November 14, 2022, Tokyo**_

Back within the headquarters of the group that Jadeite is now allied with, they are seeing the results of the battle.

One figure says, in a male voice, "It seems like the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask are more capable than we thought."

Another figure says, in a female voice, "Indeed."

Jadeite says, with a sneer, "They got lucky. That's all."

The male figure tells Jadeite, "Luck was what beat you, correct?" Jadeite glares at the male figure and he says, "Forgive me for reopening that wound, but my point is by underestimating an enemy, you will bring about your own downfall."

The female figure says, "Beryl learned that the hard way."

Jadeite says, with a nod, "Point taken. I won't go down like the worthless witch."

The male figure tells Jadeite, "For now, we are returning to the shadows."

Jadeite asks, confused, "What? Why?"

The male figure responds, "While we could apply pressure, there are certain 'factors' that may cause us trouble and we may need to take care of. Take a look at this." A holographic screen forms in front of Jadeite and Jadeite's eyes grow wide.

Jadeite asks, surprised, "Are you kidding me?"

The male figure says, "No, Jadeite. There are quite a few 'unknowns' and before we make our next move in our various plans, we need to make sure that these 'unknowns' are known to us. We want you to investigate them, so, you will be 'out of the spotlight' for a while."

Jadeite asks, curiously, "What was the point of the attacks?"

The male figure says, with an evil sly tone, "To keep the Sailor Scouts and your former prince on edge."

Jadeite says, with a sinister smile, "I see. They know about me, but they don't know about you…yet. Once I don't appear and the attacks die down, they are going to wonder what's going on."

The male figure says, with a nod, "Correct, Jadeite. However, we will make 'spoiler attacks' to make sure that the Scouts don't get too suspicious on what's going on."

Jadeite says, with a wicked grin, "This is going to get interesting. Interesting indeed."

 _ **November 14, 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

In the skylines of Juuban District of Tokyo, our Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask are looking down at the hospital where Serena's body is lying while her mind remains trapped in the virtual world of SAO. All of them then looks into the distance and with determined looks on their faces to defend their home while Serena remains trapped in that nightmare.

 **The End…for now**

That's it, everyone! You must be saying: Hold on! Wasn't their first encounter with these kind of youma back in mid-May of 2024 of this story series? Not exactly. They don't know about the revived Dark Agency just yet. All they do know is that Jadeite is back and he declared that he was responsible for the attacks, so, it means that they may think that Jadeite is responsible for this series of attacks. Also, the attacks are going to 'die down' in which the series of attacks are going to get worse through not constant. However, it doesn't mean that the Sailor Scouts can't beat them with Sailor Moon unable to assist them. It is just going to be tougher for them which I feel that I proved in my story. So, what do you think? Please read and review, but please no flames! Before I go, if I don't post anything else before the end of the year, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	14. Story 14: Journey to a New Song

Surprise, everyone! This is a surprise Christmas gift from you to every one of my fans! I know that you weren't expecting an update so soon and trust me, I worked hard to get it up for you. I hope that you like my gift, folks! Now, before I start this one-shot story, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 14: After Fragments Final: Journey to a New Song**

 **Note:** This story takes place in the time period just after **Hollow Fragment** to the start of **Chapter 1** of **World's Song**.

 _ **Early May 2025, ALO, Fields outside of Swilvane**_

Inside of the virtual world of ALO, we find ourselves within one of the fields within the territory of the Sylph players where we find Leafa and Recon together as Leafa is using her menu.

Leafa says, "Okay, there."

Recon tells Leafa, "But Leafa…"

Leafa tells Recon, "No, 'buts', Recon! Just get out of here! I'll be the main target since the Salamanders are really pissed at me for ruining their plans!"

Recon says, nervously, "But…!"

Leafa yells out, strongly, "Move it, buster!"

Recon says, nervously, "Yes, ma'am!" Soon enough, Recon flies off at top speed while Leafa draws her sword and looks ahead of her in which a large amount of armored Salamander players, around four dozen in all, appear and nearly surround her.

One of them says, with a sly tone, "Look at what we have here."

Leafa says, "You won't be getting our haul! I've already give it to my last party member and we have it in an 'insurance slots' too!"

Another one says, "Like we care! We have you!"

A third one shouts out, "Today is that day that we defeat the infamous 'Wind Valkyrie'."

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, _"Great! I'm becoming well-known already. And that means that I have a major target on my back."_

A fourth Salamander player shouts out, excitedly, "We'll be praised knowing that we took out the 'Wind Valkyrie'!"

Just then a familiar male voice says, "Taking out one female player by ganging up on her? Yeah, that's real special." The Salamander players then look to see Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, Klein, Philia, Silica, Lisbeth, Dai, and Akari assembled together.

Klein says, "Yeah, no kidding! That's so wrong!"

Lisbeth says, annoyed, "And just plain rude too!"

Leafa tells Kirito, with a smile, "Hey, big brother!"

The Salamander players gasp at that and one of them asks, "Big brother?"

Another Salamander shouts out, "Oh, shit! I remember! He is one of the new players that started to make a name for himself and he is supposed to be the big brother of the 'Wind Valkyrie' in real-life!"

Yet another Salamander yells out, "Oh, crap! That's right! That's him! The 'Black Swordsman'!"

Kirito thinks in his mind, annoyed, _"And I'm starting to get known by that name here too."_

One of the leaders of the group of Salamanders shouts out, "It doesn't matter! We outnumber them!"

Klein says, with a smirk, "Maybe, bro, but numbers aren't enough a lot of times."

As the Salamanders draw their weapons, their leader says, with a smirk, "We'll see."

Kirito says, having his two swords out, "I guess that we will."

Usagi thinks in her mind, having her two swords out as well, _"Here we go again."_ Soon enough, the battle of the Salamanders against Leafa, Kirito, and the others began where there is a lot of sounds of weapons clashing, magic spells being used, and players turning into Remain Light when their HP goes to zero.

 _ **Early May 2025, ALO, Swilvane**_

Within Swilvane, Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, Klein, Philia, Silica, Lisbeth, Dai, and Akari are assembled together within Lily of the Valley Pavilion.

Dai says, with a sigh of relief, "Man! What a fight!"

Klein says, with a nod, "You aren't kidding, brother!"

Silica says, "That was pretty scary."

Philia says, with a smile, "Well, it wasn't surprising since they have to be been veteran ALO players, Silica-chan."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I agree, Philia-chan. Even with our stats from SAO, it doesn't mean that we have an overwhelming advantage over other ALO especially the veterans."

Kirito says, with a smile, "Yeah. We've just started playing around one month in which we learned how to fly in ALO."

Dai says, with a grin, "True, but plenty of veteran players don't learn to fly without the 'training wings', Kirito."

Akari giggles and she says, "Flying without the control shows that you are a real master of the flying system here in ALO."

Usagi says, "Well, it wasn't easy."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Don't we know it, Usagi."

Kirito shivered when he remembered when he started to train on how to fly in ALO and Asuna says, giggling because she knows what her boyfriend is thinking about, "All of us had our struggles on learning how to fly without using the controller Kirito-kun."

Lisbeth says, looking at Silica with a grin, "Some more than others."

Silica blushes in embarrassment and Akari says, "Anyway, all of you learned how to fly without the controller shows that you are really good players of the game."

Just then Leafa's voice booms, "Hey, everyone!" Everyone looks to see Leafa rushing over to them.

Silica says, excitedly, "Leafa!"

Leafa says, with a smile, "Sorry, I'm late. I just got back from diving our earnings from our hunt."

Kirito asks Leafa, "Anything good?"

Leafa responds, shaking her head, "Well, nothing that caught my fancy. I just took my share of Yrd for what we sold off."

Klein says, "Combined that with what we took from those other players, you must be quite loaded now!"

Leafa says, plainly, "Not really."

Usagi asks, curiously, "What was up with those guys?"

Dai says, "Probably trying to become stronger to prepare for the next 'Grand Quest'."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Most likely. Ever since the original 'Grand Quest' was revealed, in a way, to be one big fake, the nine fairy races are preparing to for the next 'Grand Quest' in their own ways especially the Sylphs, Cait Sith, and Salamanders."

Silica says, with a smile, "That's why the Sylphs and Cait Sith are good friends."

Leafa says, with a smile, "They've always been good friends since the start of ALO, so, it isn't surprising that the alliance has been formalized especially since the Salamanders became the most powerful group of players in the whole of the game."

Asuna says, "It was quite a shock when we learned on how they did that."

Leafa says, with a solemn tone, "Yeah, but it isn't like they did anything illegal. PvP is a vital part of ALO. And as the leader of the lands, the fairy leaders' actions effect all of the players of their lands, so, they need to be quite careful."

Usagi says, "It must be tough being a leader here."

Lisbeth says, smirking at Usagi and Lisbeth, "Well, you, two, should know."

Asuna and Usagi flush with embarrassment and Asuna says, annoyed, "Liz!"

Klein says, "Hey, what am I? Chopped liver? I was the leader of a guild, too, over there and I can tell you that it isn't easy!"

Kirito tells Klein, with a smile, "We know, Klein. And you did excellently. Your friends survived SAO under your leadership which shows that you are a great guild leader."

Klein says, with a smirk, "Got that right, bro!"

A few of the others sigh and Lisbeth tells Kirito, "Way to go, Kirito. Now, he won't stop being proud of himself all day." Klein gives Lisbeth an annoyed look while Lisbeth just smirks at Klein.

Asuna asks, changing the subject, "Anyway, it has been quite a month ever since we started up ALO."

Leafa says, with a nervous smile, "That's one way of putting it."

Kirito asks Leafa, "You are still sore about what happened during your birthday?"

Usagi tells Leafa, with a nod, "I know how you feel, Leafa-chan."

Flashback; April 19, 2025

Kazuto and Suguha are standing together in the Juuban District in which they are looking around.

Kazuto asks, "So, this is the area that Serena and her friends live in?"

Suguha says, "That's right."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Sugu, isn't this your first time in Serena's and her friend's hometown too?"

Suguha tells Kazuto, "Outside of 'uniform', big brother."

Kazuto says, with a nod of his head, "Oh, right."

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, "Kirito-kun!" Kazuto and Suguha then look to see Asuna, Rika, Keiko, Shion, and Kotone running over to them.

Suguha says, "Hey, everyone!"

Keiko says, excitedly, "Hi, L-I mean Suguha!"

Suguha tells Keiko, with a smile, "Guess that it is sit getting some used to."

Shion says, "It isn't surprising since the majority of you have only been back 'here' for a few months."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Speaking of which, all of you very good."

Kotone says, "You, too, but then again, you were only in there for several months."

Suguha says, "Doesn't mean that the first week or so wasn't really painful add to the fact that my last battle 'over there' made feel like I was a punching bag."

Asuna says, "I was shocked to learn that some of the damage was 'transferred' to your real body."

Kazuto says, "It was basically Sugu's mind was fooled that she suffered 'real damage'." Kazuto thinks in his mind, _"Which I am so glad that her impalement wasn't transferred to her real body."_

Suguha says, "And this is the reason that VR games have pain absorbers."

Rika says, with a nod, "No joke, girlfriend."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Speaking of it, all of you are adapting to flying in ALO."

Rika says, with a cheeky smile at Keiko, "Mostly."

Keiko says, with an embarrassed blush and tone, "Liz!"

Suguha tells Keiko, "Easy, Keiko. Even veterans of ALO that have been part of the game since its beginnings don't learn how to fly without the remote control. With the way that you, Kazuto, and the others are progressing, you are going to master it in no time."

Keiko asks Suguha, "Really?"

Suguha says, with a smile, "Yeah!"

Keiko gives a smile at this and then a familiar female voice booms out, "Hey!" Everyone then looks to see Darien and all of the Sailor Scouts of Juuban heading over to them.

When they come over, Asuna tells Serena, "Hi, Usagi…I mean Serena-chan!"

Serena giggles and she says, "I don't mind Asuna."

Mina says, with a smile, "All of you are looking great."

Keiko says, with a nod, "We are. Thank you for saying that."

Lita says, looking at Suguha, "You are looking good, birthday girl!"

Suguha says, with a nervous smile, "Thanks."

Rika says, with a grin, "Yep. She has made it to 'sweet sixteen'." Rika then looks at Suguha's *ahem* 'assets' and she says, with a sly grin, "Guess Lunarian royals are quite the 'knockers' when they reach their teenage years."

Suguha and Serena give major blushes and Suguha shouts out, embarrassed while wrapping her arms around her body and chest area, "Cut it out!"

Asuna says, annoyed, "Liz, you are starting to sound like an old hentai."

Rika gives a nervous giggle, Keiko nervously glances down at herself, and Mina tells Suguha, "Come on! You are a bountiful beauty just like your ALO avatar! You should really show it!"

Raye slaps Mina in the back of her head and Raye tells Mina, annoyed, "Cut it out, Mina-chan."

Kotone tells Serena, a bit nervously, "Your friends are quite something."

Serena says, with a sigh, "Yeah, don't I know it."

Kazuto says, "Just because they are superheroines, but it doesn't mean that they aren't like us. I mean, in anime and manga, magical girls are just regular human girls that are gifted with powers to help others."

Lita says, with a grin, "That's right. We're just a regular bunch of girls given special powers due to our 'past lives' to help and protect people from evil forces."

Mina says, "Speak for yourself, Lita-chan, I was a famous crime fighter before Serena became Sailor Moon." Mina then says, with a wide grin, "Speaking of famous…" Mina takes out a magazine showing a picture of Sailor Celestial battling against a titanic youma and she says, with a grin, "Front page again!"

Suguha gives a blush and she yells out, "Put that away and keep it down!"

Mina giggles at Suguha and Raye smacks Mina on the back of her head in which Raye says, "Cut it out, Mina."

Mina sticks out her tongue at Raye and she says, with a grin, "Come on, girl! You only made your grand appearance just several weeks ago or so and you have become center page!"

Amara says, "Well, that's the fact that all of us have become 'center page' so to speak since the youma are now completely attacking people in the open with large crowds of people possibly getting caught in the crossfire."

Trista says, "Even before we went into SAO to assist all of you, the battles were getting more intense."

Molly says, "Probably the reason that I awakened as a Sailor Scout. The universe must have sensed the growing darkness, but I doubt that it could have sensed it would have come so far that it has."

Trista says, "Or maybe it has. It has just gotten under 'our radar' as they say."

Raye says, "Must have."

Keiko says, "It must be rough."

Rini says, with a nod, "It is."

Mina says, with a grin, "But with two powered packing VALKYRIE Sailor Scouts, it isn't too bad."

Suguha says, glaring at Mina, "Hey, it isn't easy for sis and me either, you know!"

Serena says, with a nod, "No kidding! Just because we've reached a legendary form of Sailor Scout power, doesn't mean that we are invincible or anything."

Suguha says, "And we're still learning about our powers as Valkyrie Sailor Scouts since all we know comes from ancient Silver Millennium lore and whatnot."

Just then a male voice shouts out, "Hey! Is this a private party or can anyone join?!" Everyone looks to see the Digidestined and their Digimon partners coming up towards them.

When all the Digidestined and their Digimon partners join up with the others, Yolei says, excitedly, "Hey, Kirito!"

TK tells Yolei, "Not Kirito, Yolei."

Yolei says, nervously, "Oh, right! Oops!"

Rika tells Yolei, "Don't worry about it. Kei made the same mistake."

Keiko says, with an embarrassed blush, "Liz!"

TK says, with a smile, "I think all of us still need a bit more time back in 'our home world'."

Matt says, with a nod, "No kidding, bro." Just then TK yelps as Mina latches onto his right arm.

Mina tells TK, with a smile, "Miss me?"

TK responds, "What do you think?" TK and Mina share a kiss and plenty of the others smile and/or giggle at this.

Lita says, "Get a room!"

Mina tells Lita, with a sly grin, "Jealous that I already have a boyfriend of my own, Lita-chan? And one that's so cute?"

TK says, with an embarrassed blush, "Mina-chan…"

Davis tells TK, with a grin, "Man, TC! I never knew that you could be red as a beet!"

TK tells Davis, with a smirk and glare, "Very funny, Davis."

Michelle tells Mina, with a grin, "You, two, have gotten quite close."

Mina says, with a sly smile, "And why not? Takeru-kun has a person that's the representation of the Goddess of Love and Beauty as his girlfriend."

TK gives a nervous smile and Matt says, "Well, forgive me that I'm also worried about you, two, since that same goddess is also the goddess of something else." Matt tells TK, with a glare, "Which makes me wonder if you haven't gone 'any further'."

TK becomes red as a cherry, much like plenty of the guys and gals of the group, and Mina asks, in a sultry tone, "What if we have?" TK yelps at Mina before Raye bops her in the head again.

Raye yells out, annoyed, "I said to cut it out, Mina-chan!"

Mina says, with a pout, "Party pooper."

Lita says, with a smile, "The only party we should be thinking about is the birthday party of our newest Sailor Scout."

Suguha says, "I don't think that it is a big deal…"

Mina tells Suguha, "Not a big deal! It is always a big deal when one of us reaches a birthday!"

Amara says, with a sigh, "Especially since it can usually end in disaster after you became a Sailor Senshi."

Michelle tells Amara, with a kind smile, "Oh, Amara-chan…"

Amara says, with a plain tone, "Please Michelle, don't try to dumb it down for Suguha-hime. I don't want to remember any of our birthdays after we had become Sailor Scouts." Amara tells Serena, "And I bet that you want to agree with me Kitten."

Serena says, nervously, "Yeah."

Mina tells Amara, "Geez, you are such a worry wart! You are going to ruin her big day!"

Amara says, with a plain tone, "I'm just saying that with our history, we should be a bit more cautious especially with increased youma attacks."

Lita tells Suguha, with a smile, "Come on! Don't listen to them! It's your day! Let's enjoy it!"

Davis says, with a grin, "No joke!"

Serena thinks in her mind, _"I hope so. I just want to enjoy Suguha's day and get close to my 'royal family'. But something tells me that it won't be that easy."_ As our group starts to head out to celebrate Suguha's birthday, Serena hopes that she is wrong about not having any 'easy day' during Suguha's birthday.

Flashback; April 19, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District

Inside of the Fruits Parlor Crown, our group is gathered as Andrew and Elizabeth Furuhata is serving them with specialty ice cream cups with an incredible off-the-top cup for Suguha.

Andrew says, "Here you go."

Suguha says, amazed, "Oh, wow."

Elizabeth says, with a smile, "Dig in!"

Rika says, excitedly, "Now, you are talking!" Rika immediately start to eat her ice cream cup right away with plenty of the others joining him.

Patamon says, "Thanks!"

Palmon says, with a nod, "Yeah!"

Darien tells Andrew and Elizabeth, "Thank you for allowing us to have this here."

Andrew says, "No problem, Darien."

Elizabeth says, with a smile, "We wanted to meet all of Serena's new friends!"

Asuna says, with a smile, "It is nice to meet you, too, Elizabeth-san."

Andrew says, with a smile, "Anyway, we're thankful for befriending and help keeping Serena safe in there."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Well, to be honest, it is more like she saved us at times."

Serena tells Kazuto, "No way! You and Asuna helped keep me sane in there!" Serena says, with a weak smile, "Even through I knew that Darien-kun and the girls were supporting me, it was you and Asuna that kept me from loneness during much of those two years."

Asuna says, with a smile, "We helped each other, Usagi-I mean Serena-chan."

Elizabeth says, with a smile, "I guess that it is hard since you went by your avatar names for those two years."

Mina says, "No kidding! For a few weeks, Serena would only respond to her avatar name and not her 'other name' a lot."

Serena can't help to blush in embarrassment and Kari says, with a smile, "Well, it wasn't just Serena."

Plenty of the others that were trapped in SAO since its start give nervous looks and Shion says, "You can't exactly be too surprised since they did that to ensure their own survival. They couldn't be 'who they were in the real world'. They had to 'who they are in SAO'."

Ami says, with a nod, "That's a good point."

Amara says, nodding her head, "Survival isn't just physical. There is also a mental, emotional, and psychological 'element' to it too."

Suguha looks at Serena and the other SAO survivors of the group and Yolei asks, "Can we not talk about…that?"

Suguha says, with a nod, "Yeah. Let's not 'dive down' into that 'territory'."

Davis says, with a smile, "Yeah, time to party!"

Kari says, with a smile, "Yes, you are right, Dai-kun."

Rika says, with a nod, "No kidding! Let's not go into the 'dark stuff' and have a good time!"

Keiko says, with a nod, "Yes, you are right, Liz-san."

Keiko yelps and Kotone tells Keiko, "Let's take one day at time Silica…I mean Keiko-chan."

Kazuto says, "All of us need to adjust back."

Davis tells Kazuto, "Trust me, Kari-chan and I know how you feel."

Kari says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Matt says, "I think that all of us need to adjust back to life after 'that' even if we were 'there' or not."

Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and they continue to enjoy their ice cream cups/sundaes in which Elizabeth says, "I have to say that I was surprised when we found out about you."

Serena says, looking at Molly, ", I was shocked to learn that Molly was a Sailor Scout, too, and one of the Silver Millennium."

Trista says, with a smile, "Yes. But due to her 'special duties', even I didn't know she was one of us."

Molly says, "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but after I 'awakened', I had already important work to do."

Mimi says, "That must have been tough."

Joe says, "All of us were thrust into our 'adventures' and none of us were ready."

Lita says, with a nod, "You got that right, Joe."

Mina says, with a grin, "Well, let's not worry about that today! Let's party!" The others nod their heads in agreement and they continue to enjoy their 'treats' with Andrew and Elizabeth smiling at this, but what our group doesn't know is that they are being watched and plenty of them don't seem to sense, however, a 'sense of foreboding' comes to Suguha, Serena, and Kazuto. But the three of them ignore for the time being since they feel that it is just nerves or something like that.

Flashback; April 19, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District

Now, our group are looking Juuban District as they walk through it.

Yolei tells Molly, "Your mom is great, Molly."

Molly says, with a smile, "She is."

Mimi says, "All those jewels are just beautiful."

Molly says, with a grin, "They are, but these days, a lot of the people that visit us want to see where the legend began."

Molly looks at Serena and Serena says, nervously, "I wasn't aiming to be a legend. To be honest, my first night was far from heroic."

Raye says, with a smirk, "Based on what Luna told us."

Serena gives an annoyed look and Darien tells Serena, "You were just a normal girl and then given super-powers in which you were expected to fight monsters. Your reaction was quite understandable."

Serena says, with a smile, "Thanks, Darien."

Tai says, with a grin, "Yeah. We had similar reactions when we got throw into another world filled with monsters with similar monster becoming our best friends and partners to save two worlds from destruction."

Joe says, with a sigh, "No kidding."

Ken says, with a smile, "But we managed to learn and adapt as we continue as 'heroes' so to speak."

Cody says, "Through it wasn't easy."

Matt says, with a nod, "No kidding. We had A LOT of 'hiccups' along the way."

Raye says, nodding her head, "You can say that again, Matt."

Serena says, "It was too bad that Jun couldn't join."

Davis says, with a smirk, "Jun had something to do today."

TK tells Matt, with a grin, "Worried about your wife, big bro?"

Matt tells TK, "Jun and I were married in-game. Both of us don't feel ready to go that far now that we are back here."

Ken tells Matt, "Yolei and I understand that."

Davis asks Yolei, "You do?"

Yolei tells Davis, annoyed, "Yeah, we would. Ken and I were married in-game too, remember?"

Davis says, nervously, "Oh, yeah."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "I think that all of us are readjusting in our own ways."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I agree."

Tai says, "I think that we all are."

Kotone says, with a smile, "As Mina keeps saying, let's just enjoy Suguha's birthday. It is her day."

Rika says, with a grin, "Yeah, it is a big day for a big superheroine."

Suguha tells Rika, annoyed, "Very funny." The group continues on their walk, but Kazuto, Serena, and Suguha get a 'chill', however, it passes very quickly causing them to wonder what was that in which Serena glances at Raye and Amara. However, Serena sees that the two of them aren't reacting to anything, so, Serena gets the feeling that it must be 'nerves' since she has been out of SAO for just 'a brief while', but looking at Kazuto and Suguha causes her to think otherwise.

Flashback; April 19, 2025, Tokyo, Juuban District

Next, our group is at the mall and they are having good times as regular teenagers as well as young men and women usually do.

Lita says, excitedly, "What a blast!"

Rika says, with a grin, "Yeah, I'll say!"

Yolei says, excitedly, "No joke!"

The others are giggling excitedly and Michelle says, with a smile, "It is nice that everyone is enjoying themselves."

Darien says, "After what many of them went through for over two years, they have earned it."

Trista says, with a nod, "Agreed."

However, as they are walking around, things in the mall start to get quiet and Molly asks, "Isn't it getting quieter in here?" Everyone then starts to look around and they are starting to see less people all around in which Darien, Amara, and Raye narrow their eyes.

Amara thinks in her mind, _"Uh oh."_

Ken says, a bit nervously, "This is getting weird."

Gatomon says, "I don't like it."

Keiko asks, "What's wrong?"

Darien says, "I think that we should…"

Suguha then says, interrupting, "Too late." Everyone else, minus Serena and Kazuto, look at Suguha in which they see Suguha, Serena, and Kazuto have really serious looks on their faces.

Darien asks Serena, "Meatball Head?"

Just then Amara's and Raye's 'spiritual senses' go on 'alert' and Raye says, seriously, "Heads up!" Soon enough, a 'dark mist' starts to come into the mall and the remaining people around start to collapse.

Tai asks, shocked, "What the…?!"

Serena yells out, "Girls! Transform now!"

There are looks of shock from the Sailor Scouts of the group and Suguha shouts out, "Do it now!" Immediately, all of the Sailor Scouts of the group get out their transformation items.

" **Valkyrie Celestial Power, Make-up!** "

" **Valkyrie Moon Power, Make-up!** "

" **Moon Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Sun Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Orion Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Nebula Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Mercury Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Venus Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Mars Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Jupiter Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Saturn Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Uranus Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Neptune Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Pluto Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

Soon enough, Suguha, Serena, Rini, Kari, Shion, Molly, Ami, Mina, Raye, Lita, Hotaru, Amara, Michelle, and Trista transform into Valkyrie Sailor Celestial and Valkyrie Sailor Moon along with Eternal Sailor Neo Moon, Eternal Sailor Sun, Eternal Sailor Orion, Eternal Sailor Nebula, and the eight Eternal level Moon Kingdom Planetary Sailor Scouts in which Darien quickly transforms into Tuxedo Mask.

Sailor Moon, using 'SAO instinct', commands, "Everyone, surround the others! Orion, I need you to remain back with Kazuto and everyone else! Celestial and I will take point!"

The others are surprised by Sailor Moon's 'commanding voice', since it wasn't her style BEFORE SAO, in which Tuxedo Mask says, "I have to say that's a good idea."

Sailor Orion says, "Not to argue with you, but Sun and I are our own Sailor Scouts not part of the Silver Alliance."

Sailor Sun says, with a smile, "I say that we follow it, Orion."

Sailor Orion says, with a nod, "No need to say anymore." Immediately, the Sailor Scouts get into defensive positions as Sailor Moon 'directed' and an evil laugh is heard.

Tuxedo Mask says, narrowing his eyes, "I remember that laugh."

Sailor Mars says, with a sneer, "So do I." Just then a 'dark gateway' appears and Jadeite steps out of that gateway.

Sailor Jupiter says, with a glare, "Jadeite."

Matt asks, annoyed, "Don't they ever learn?"

Sailor Uranus says, shaking her head, "Not really."

Tuxedo Mask says, "I shouldn't be surprised by this. You would attack us on a 'special day' for one of us."

Jadeite says, with a sinister smile, "Yes." Jadeite says, looking at Sailor Celestial, "Happy birthday, your majesty. It is going to be your last."

Sailor Celestial asks, sarcastically, "Where have I heard that before?"

Sailor Venus retorts, with a smirk, "Cheesy villain 'one-liners' dot com?"

A few of the others giggle at this and Jadeite says, with a sneer, "You won't be saying when you are begging for death before I'm done with you."

Sailor Uranus asks, with a smirk, "And why is that?"

Jadeite says, "One, you are obviously trapped."

Sailor Mercury says, having her visor on and using her computer, "He's right. Right now, all of us are in a separate dimension."

Jadeite says, with a grin, "You and everyone else that's in here. And that's number two…" Jadeite snaps his fingers and all of the people that our heroes and heroines see collapse then rise to their feet in which they start to act like zombies in horror flicks as they march towards the group.

Yolei asks, nervously, "What the?!"

Mimi asks, nervously, "What's going on?"

Tuxedo Mask says, seriously, "Jadeite is controlling them with his dark magic!"

Sailor Moon tells Jadeite, annoyed, "This is really old, Jadeite! You used this on me on my first day as Sailor Moon! You used your dark magic to drain people of their energy and then control them like puppets on strings!"

Jadeite says, with a sly smirk, "While not use an 'old classic', princess?! Plus, since they are innocent victims, you can't truly hurt them!"

Sailor Orion says, "He is using them as weapons and hostages."

Davis yells out, angrily, "Coward!"

As the controlled people get ever closer towards them, Sailor Celestial says, "Damn it! We can't hurt them!"

Sailor Saturn asks, "What can we do?"

Sailor Neptune says, seriously, "That's a good question, Firefly."

Sailor Nebula yells out, "Cover your eyes!" Plenty of the others were surprised as Sailor Nebula holds up her staff, but the others immediately cover their eyes.

" **Nebula Cosmic Flash!** "

Just then Sailor Nebula unleashes a blinding flash of light that causes Jadeite and his 'puppets' to yell out and cover their eyes from the blinding flash and when the flash of light away with Jadeite able to see again, he is shocked to find our heroes and heroines are gone!"

Jadeite yells out, angrily, "Such childish tricks won't save you!" Jadeite yells out to his mind controlled 'puppets', "Find them!" Walking just like zombies in a horror flick, the mind controlled people start to stumble off to find them and Jadeite says to himself, lowly with an evil smirk, "If you think that these peons are my only 'trick', you are wrong…DEAD wrong." Jadeite then flies off into the distance and a bit later on, hiding within a clothing store, our heroes and heroines are assembled together as they remain hidden as best they can.

Palmon tells Sailor Nebula, "Nice one!"

Sailor Nebula says, with a smile, "Thanks!"

Yolei asks, "So, what do we do now?"

Sailor Mercury says, "For the moment, we can't escape since we are in an alternate dimension."

Sailor Uranus says, "Not like we've didn't experience this before."

Sailor Neptune says, "You think that Jadeite is the 'generator'? Jadeite doesn't seem to be the kind of character."

Sailor Mercury says, "And you would be right. My scanners have detected the device that keeps this 'pocket dimension' intact and it is separate from Jadeite."

Kotone asks, "What does that mean?"

Izzy says, "It means that even if we defeat Jadeite, we'll still be trapped in this 'pocket dimension'."

Joe says, with a moan, "Just great."

Davis says, "Dude, all we need to do is bust up what's holding this 'dimension' or whatever together."

Gatomon tells Davis, "Easier said than done, Davis."

Sailor Mars says, "Knowing Jadeite, he has a trick or two up his sleeve."

Sailor Celestial says, "Personal experience I bet."

Sailor Moon says, annoyed, "No kidding."

Sailor Celestial says, with an annoyed glare, "Well, Jadeite is going to experience my armored boot up his butt for ruining my birthday like this."

Sailor Venus says, with a nod, "Yeah! You know it, girlfriend!"

Tuxedo Mask says, "Don't underestimated Jadeite."

Yolei asks, "Didn't Suguha and Serena blow Jadeite away with ease?"

Sailor Uranus says, "That's only because they got the drop on him at the harbor."

Sailor Moon says, annoyed, "Thanks a lot."

Sailor Nebula says, "They have a point, Sailor Moon. You and Celestial did have the drop on him in the harbor."

Sailor Mars tells Sailor Moon, "In which I am still mad at you since you were still recovering at that time."

Sailor Moon gives a nervous smile and she says, "Come on, Pyro! You think that I could stay around and let you get pummeled? Besides, everything worked out!"

Rika asks, annoyed, "Right now, can we focus on our situation right now?"

Sailor Orion looks ahead of them with a serious look and Sailor Sun asks, seeing this, "Something up?"

Sailor Orion says, "I think that we are being watched." A lot of the others gasp from those words and immediately, they start to get 'defensive'.

Sailor Uranus asks, seriously, "Where?" Just then Sailor Mars' and Sailor Uranus' spirit senses while Kazuto's, Sailor Moon's, and Sailor Celestial's 'danger sense' immediately 'perk up' causing them to become REALLY defensive.

Sailor Celestial then yells out, "Below! Get back!" Just then 'spikes' seem to burst out from under their feet and a lot of the others yelp as they barely dodge them.

Davis asks, "Now what?!" Bursting out of the ground, none other than the infamous DD girls emerge from the rubble.

The Inner Sailor Scouts gasp in shock and Sailor Moon says, shocked, "You!"

The blue DD girl says, with an evil smile, "We're back, brats!"

Sailor Jupiter shouts out, "We destroyed you!"

The red DD girl says, with an evil grin, "You did and allowing your wretched princess to eliminate our great queen, but now, we are back to return the favor!"

Sailor Moon says, "I won't allow it! Not this time! You are going down!"

The green DD girl says, with an evil smile, "Ha! You remember last time! It took your precious guardians going kamikaze to kill us and you ran like a little dog!"

Sailor Venus retorts, with a smirk, "Ran like a little dog? Oh, yeah! Explain why your so-called great queen is moon dust and our princess is still here! It looks like the only major wuss is Beryl and she got what she deserved!"

The DD girls sneer at Sailor Venus and pink one shouts out, annoyed, "I'm going to enjoy ripping off your tongue, Venus! And personally, I've got a score to settle with you!"

Sailor Moon steps forward of everyone else and she says, "You aren't settling anything. You want to get to the others, you go through me first!"

The Moon Kingdom Sailor Scouts are surprised and Sailor Mars asks, surprised, "Sailor Moon?"

The blue DD girl says, with an evil smile, "Is that a threat? Or is it an offer? Then let us take you on that offer!" All five DD girls transform their vines into deadly vines that come towards Sailor Moon causing plenty of the others to gasp in shock.

Tuxedo Mask yells out, worriedly, "Sailor Moon!"

Sailor Jupiter shouts out, "Get out of the way!" But just before the attack hits, quick as a flash, Sailor Moon lashes out with her two swords and cuts all of the vines at her once causing all five DD girls to yelp out in pain as they retract their vine-like arms before their arms turn back into humanoid arms and hands.

Tuxedo Mask and the Moon Kingdom Sailor Scouts are shocked and Sailor Mercury says, stunned, "Sailor Moon…"

Sailor Moon asks them, in a taunting tone that's not like her before, "What's the matter? You seem so surprised." Sailor Moon tells the DD girls, in a serious plain tone that's not like her BEFORE SAO, "I'm not the same Sailor Moon that I was back then. I'm not going abandon the people that I love and care about to die by scum like you. I'm not here to beg for their lives. I'm here to turn you into moon dust and make sure that you never hurt them again."

The blue DD girl says, with a sneer, "Ooh, the little princess has gained a backbone!"

The red DD girl yells out, strongly, "Let's break it!" The five elite youma prepare to charge, but much to their surprise and plenty of our heroes and heroines, Sailor Moon, with incredible speed, zips over to them and with one powerful kick, she kicks the blue DD girl right out of the store!

The Moon Kingdom Sailor Scouts are shocked, and Sailor Venus says, stunned, "Whoa!"

Sailor Saturn says, amazed and stunned, "Sailor Moon…"

The green DD girl says, with a sneer, "Think you are all that? You are…!" However, she doesn't get to finish as Sailor Moon unleashes a silver energy wave from her sword that sends the other four DD girls crashing out of the store.

Sailor Mars says, shocked, "No way!"

Sailor Neptune says, amazed, "Sailor Moon…"

Sailor Nebula says, "I've heard that the Valkyrie Sailor Scout powers are incredible, but I never imagined…"

Sailor Pluto says, interrupting, "Neither did I, Nebula."

Sailor Moon walks forward and she says, "I'll give these divas a taste of the new Sailor Moon. The rest of you find where that 'generator' or whatever is and blast to bits to get us home."

Plenty of the others, especially Tuxedo Mask and the majority of the Moon Kingdom Sailor Scouts, gasp in shock and Sailor Jupiter shouts out, "No way!"

Sailor Venus says, "You can't be serious Sailor Moon!"

Sailor Moon says, "Right now, my sister from my time as a Moon Princess just got her birthday ruined by that Nega-freak and I'm…annoyed right now."

Davis says, a bit nervously, "More like testy!"

Just then a taunting female voice shouts out, "It looks like the princess is having a 'temper tantum'." Everyone looks to see the five DD girls, basically all right, and the blue DD girl says, with a sinister smile, "Your poor sister got her birthday ruined! Boo hoo! Oh, cry me…!" However, all five DD girls yelp as they are impaled in their arms/shoulders by Sailor Orion.

Sailor Orion says, plain tone and annoyed expression, "You talk too much."

Sailor Venus says, with a grin, "Nice one!"

The red DD girl shouts out, "How dare you?!"

Sailor Celestial yells out, strongly, "We dare! And we dare to do this!" Sailor Celestial's Etherion Booster then has its railgun point at the DD girls and fire in which they scream as they are sent flying backwards.

Sailor Sun says, "I think that it is time for us to go."

Tai says, "No kidding, Kari. That would have brought the police if we weren't trapped in alternate dimension!"

Tuxedo Mask says, "Let's move." Soon enough, the group heads out of the store and nearly immediately, they are starting to get swarmed by the mind controlled people.

Palmon says, "They are everywhere!"

Gatomon says, "Well, we can't do anything about it."

Sailor Sun says, "They are innocent people!"

Sailor Uranus says, "Weapons and hostages at the same time."

Sailor Jupiter says, annoyed, "Not surprising of the tactics of a coward like him." Just then Sailor Moon, Neo Moon, and Sailor Celestial leap out of the way of another assault from the five DD girls.

Sailor Celestial says, "Damn! You, girls, are like weeds!"

The pink DD girl yells out, "We're stronger than we were beating the crap of your sister's Sailor Twerp!"

Sailor Venus yells out, annoyed, "We're stronger too!"

The green DD girl asks, tauntingly, "But are you tough enough?" The five DD girls then dodge another series of arrows from Sailor Orion and the green DD girl says, tauntingly, "Not this time!"

Sailor Orion responds, with a smirk, "Think so?" Just then the mystical arrows spin around, and the five DD girls yelp out in pain as they struck in the back.

Sailor Jupiter says, with a grin, "Nice!" The DD girls, when they recover from the hit, turn towards the others to counterattack only to find Sailor Celestial coming down on them, Dark Repulser in her two hands, and with a kendo-style slash, she cuts the red DD girl in half causing her to scream before she explodes in which the other DD girls give a look of surprise.

Sailor Moon's voice booms, "Forgetting someone?" The DD girls turn to the source of the voice only to have the violet and green DD girls cut to ribbons by Sailor Moon.

The blue DD girl says, annoyed, "You are getting…!" However, she and the other surviving DD girl, the pink one, then yelp as they get a pair of 'light arrow', one for each DD girl, into the shoulders from Sailor Orion in which she smirks before the 'light arrows' explodes in a strong explosion and destroying the final DD girls.

Sailor Venus says, excitedly, "Great shot!"

Rika says, with a nod, "I'll say." Just then Sailor Celestial's and Sailor Moon's 'danger sense' goes wild and they leap away from multiple dark energy spheres and when everyone looks to see where they came from, they find Jadeite floating in the air above them.

Jadeite says, with a sneer, "Clever, but cheap tricks aren't going to save you for long."

Sailor Celestial says, "Then maybe this can!" Sailor Celestial unleashes an elemental blast from her sword and Jadeite manages to deflect it in which he creates a black crystal sword using it to clash with Sailor Celestial's sword.

Jadeite says, with an evil smirk, "Ha! Just as pathetic as your sister!"

Sailor Celestial retorts, with a grin, "If sis is pathetic, then what does that make you? Worthless?"

Jadeite yells out, with a sneer, "I'm going to enjoy gutting you!"

Sailor Celestial replies, with a sly smile, "And I'm going to enjoy THIS!" Sailor Celestial then rams her armored kneecap into Jadeite's *ahem* 'private areas' causing his face to twist in pain and plenty of the male members of our heroes and heroines to winch from that.

Asuna says, with an amazed look, "Oh my…"

Kazuto says, with a winch, "Sugu…is not one to do things lightly."

Kotone says, nervously, "That's one way of putting it." Jadeite, after somewhat recovering from Sailor Celestial's 'assault', glares at Sailor Celestial with intense anger while Sailor Celestial gains a big grin on her features.

Jadeite grunts out, "You…are going…pay for that!" Jadeite roars out as he attacks Sailor Celestial with dark energy blasts/spheres and Sailor Celestial flies off with Jadeite on her heels, but the others are left as the mind controlled people are surrounding them.

Yolei says, nervously, "Oh, crap!"

Hawkmon says, "Crude, but accurate Yolei." Sailor Celestial then flies into a storage area and Jadeite follows her, smashing through the front door, and walking towards Sailor Celestial, who is seemly trapped.

Jadeite gets near Sailor Celestial and he says, "I have you now."

Sailor Celestial responds, with a grin, "Funny. That's my line."

Jadeite laughs and he says, with an evil smile, "Ha! What makes you say that? You drove yourself into a corner!"

Sailor Celestial replies, with a grin, "Did you ask how all of us got away so fast?" Jadeite then gives a confused look as Sailor Celestial creates a small flame and flings into a pile of boxes in which Jadeite looks and gasps to see that they are containers for fireworks. Sailor Celestial yells out, slyly, "Enjoy the show!" Sailor Celestial then teleports away and Jadeite roars as he is the center of a massive fireworks explosion! When Sailor Celestial teleports back to the others, they are surrounded by the mind controlled people, but the mind controlled people then collapse to the ground.

Davis asks, confused, "What happened?" Just then they hear a loud 'bang' and everyone looks to see the area that the fireworks explosion causing cartoon-like multi-colored fireworks explosion from the distance.

Sailor Celestial says, with a smirk, "That's just that jerk having a blast." Plenty of the others look at her with smirks and/or deadpan looks causing Sailor Celestial to ask, with a grin, "What?"

Davis says, with a grin, "Someone had to say it." Sailor Sun giggle and playfully slaps Davis' arm.

End Flashback; Return to the Present

Back in the virtual world of ALO, we return to Swilvane and the inside of Lily of the Valley Pavilion where we find Leafa, Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, Klein, Philia, Silica, Lisbeth, Dai, and Akari are giggling at that memory.

Klein asks, "So, what happened next?"

Lisbeth says, "Well, we got rid of the thing that kept us in the 'other dimension' and we were there long enough to cause a fuss, so, Usagi, Leafa, and the other Sailor Scouts had to explain why."

Usagi says, with a groan, "Don't remind us."

Akari says, with a smile, "Well, that's not surprising since the Sailor Scouts are more in the public eye than ever."

Leafa tells Usagi, "Ever since you, big brother, and the others were trapped here, the evil villains 'sensed' something was 'off' and knew it was the time to 'go wild'. The girls had it quite rough."

Kirito says, "I think nearly unbearable is a better way of putting it, Sugu."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "It was a miracle that they survived."

Dai tells Usagi, with a grin, "Come on! It isn't your fault! Don't go into that 'pity party' again or we'll tell your hot head friend!"

Usagi yells out, nervously, "Hey!" Plenty of the others laugh at Usagi's 'nervousness'.

Philia says, "Anyway, your back in action and now, they have Kari and Leafa to help them as Sailor Sun and Sailor Celestial."

Asuna tells Philia, with a kind smile, "Not so loud Philia-chan." Philia gives a look of embarrassment and nods her head in which Kari and Leafa are smiling, but Leafa is mentally a bit solemn about the 'help' part of Philia's statement for some reason.

Silica asks, as she pets Pina, "So, what should we do now?"

Philia says, "Well, I was hoping that you could help with this quest that I heard about."

Asuna asks, "What is it, Philia?"

Philia says, "A treasure hunting quest for a rare ore…"

Lisbeth asks, with her eyes 'shimmering', "A rare ore?"

Silica, Kirito, Leafa, and Asuna nervous laugh and Leafa says, "And there she goes." Usagi can't help to smile at this and can't help to feel happy that they are enjoying this world.

 _ **Mid-May 2025, ALO, Legrue Corridor**_

Elsewhere in ALO, an underground passage through the mountain range of ALO/Alfheim that separates Alne and the World Tree from the rest of ALO known as the Legrue Corridor, Leafa, Kirito, Asuna, Silica, Lisbeth, Strea, Sinon, Philia, Klein, and Agil are running down the dungeon passageways.

Klein says, "Man! They are really persistent!"

Lisbeth says, annoyed, "No kidding!"

Leafa says, "Sorry, everyone! It looks like they are still after me!"

Kirito tells Leafa, "It isn't your fault, Sugu."

Agil asks, "Aren't they going a bit overboard here?"

Klein says, "No joke! That's a freaking boss raid party!"

Kirito says, "They aren't taking any chances. They know that Sugu is one of the elite players of ALO and after ruining their plans to attempt to disrupt the alliance between the Sylphs and Cat Sith as well as keeping their status as the top group of players in ALO, they would love a chance to get back at her. But they aren't stupid. They know that she is one of the best of the best and they aren't going to take their chances."

Leafa says, "I don't know if I should be honored or nervous."

Sinon says, "Wouldn't blame you if you felt both." Soon enough, the group finds themselves on the bridge to Legrue, an underground player city in the center of an underground lake, and they are running across it.

Silica says, "I see it!"

Leafa says, with a smile, "Once we are in the city, we'll be fine! Legrue is a player city and no battles are allowed there!" The group continues to move on, but then 'streaks of light' fly overhead and lands in front of the door causing a massive stone wall to appear in which Kirito draws one of his swords and leaps towards it.

Asuna shouts out, "Kirito-kun!" Kirito attacks the stone wall only for him to bounce off it when Kirito strikes the stone wall and lands on the ground with a loud 'thump'.

Strea asks Kirito, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Kirito says, "Yeah, I'm okay."

Leafa tells Kirito, "Big brother, you should know better. That Earth magic can only be destroyed by attack spells."

Kirito tells Leafa, "A little more warning next time."

Klein asks, "So, now what?"

Leafa says, "Well, we either pound it with attack spells which we might have enough of, but it would take too long…"

Philia asks, "What about the water?"

Leafa says, shaking her head, "Normally, I would say that would be a bad idea, but with Asuna, here, we might have a chance."

Asuna asks, "With me?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "The waters contain high level monsters and a lot of players, even strong ones, would be lunch. However, if you are a strong enough Undine or have one as an ally, you might have a chance. Undines are the only ones that have an advantage against water monsters and they are experts in underwater combat."

Plenty of the others look at Asuna and Klein says, with a grin, "Nice!"

Kirito says, "There is one problem. Our attackers must have already considered that possibility." When everyone looks at Kirito, he says, "They are targeting Sugu since she belongs to the 'Great Nymphs of ALO', which is made of up Usagi's friends, who are best of the best of the veteran ALO players, in which Michiru and Mizuno are both Undines. Also, we have been here for over a month now and we've started to gain 'reputations' of our own and not just because we are close to Sugu and Usagi's friends. Our current avatars have a lot of our SAO avatar data and combine that with our experiences with our training in ALO thanks to Sugu and all of our friends who are veteran players, we made 'quite a splash' in ALO."

Klein says, with a grin, "You know it, buddy!"

Agil says, "Doesn't mean that it is a good thing."

Asuna says, "By now, they know that I'm an Undine and they may be prepared to attack us while I'm leading the way through the lake."

Kirito says, "Exactly."

Strea says, with a pout, "That's not nice."

Agil says, "Just one way to play the game, Strea."

Everyone starts to get out their weapons and Kirito says, "Our best bet is 'door number three'."

Lisbeth says, with a smirk, "Face our enemies head on."

Klein says, with a grin, "Oh, now, you are talking my language!"

Kirito tells Asuna, "Asuna, you are top healer. Sorry…"

Asuna says, with a smile and interrupting, "I know. I'm ready." Asuna steps to the rear and prepares to be the healer of the group.

Kirito then says, "Agil, I need you, Silica, Lisbeth, and Philia to remain back and protect Asuna and Sinon. Sinon is our longest range sniper here and while I trust her defensive capabilities, she is still valuable as our long range attacker without need of magic."

Agil says, with a nod, "I got you, bro."

Sinon says, with a nod and plain tone, "Understood."

Kirito says, "Klein, you, Sugu, and Strea are with me. We are the damage dealers of the group and also, in this narrow bridge, I trust your ability to dodge Strea's sword strikes."

Klein asks, "Say what?"

Leafa says, pointing to the bridge, "We're not going to have much maneuvering room, Klein, and Strea has that big sword. Not surprising since she is a Gnome and strength is their specialty." Strea gives a cheeky smile at this and Leafa says, "She needs quite a bit of room to use her sword the fullest."

Klein says, a bit nervously, "Good point." As soon as our group gets into formation, they see a group of around 50 Salamander players heading towards them in which half of them are shield bearers and another half are mages.

Leafa says, nervously, "Uh oh."

Kirito says, nervously, "I know, Sugu. This is going to be trouble."

Klein says, with a nod, "No joke."

Silica asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Agil says in reply, "That a raid party set up for bosses that give out high attack damage. The shield wielders are tanks there to absorb damage in which the mages can use long range attack spells against their opponent while also healing the shield bearers at the same time.

Kirito says, seriously, "Asuna!" However, Asuna is already starting a series of defensive spells to boost protection against magic based attacks to cast on all of her group.

Sinon says, "Then we should strike the first blow." Sinon unleashes an arrow that goes over the shield wielding players and heads for one of the mage, but some kind of shield weakens her arrow and the arrow that the mage is wearing also weakens the damage that the HP loss is completely insignificant in which Sinon gives a look of surprise.

Kirito yells out, "Damn! They anticipated Sinon and they may have armor for magic attack resistance too!" Kirito says, "We need to break through the shield wall and now!"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Right!" Klein, Leafa, Strea, and Kirito charge in, but the tank half of the Salamanders immediately set up their 'shield wall' which goes the whole width of the bridge leaving no openings for the four of them to pass by.

Klein says, "Damn! They are covering the whole bridge!" The mage portion of the Salamander party then start to chant attack spells.

Leafa yells out, "Here come the attack spells!" Soon enough, the mages unleash a series of fireballs at Klein, Leafa, Strea, and Kirito.

Klein yells out, "Get behind me!" Kirito, Leafa, and Strea fall in behind Klein and they try to dodge the fireballs, but some of them strike home, however, they mostly hit Klein. However, due to Klein being a Salamander, a 'fire fairy', as well and Asuna's earlier protection spells, the damage to Klein is very minimum. Klein yells out, excitedly, "Nice try! I'm a Salamander, too! Fire magic is nothing!"

Kirito says, "Be careful, Klein! Remember that wall? That's a pretty high level Earth magic spell! They may have a strong mage in the group!"

Klein says, with a grin, "No problem, buddy!" Soon enough, Klein, Leafa, Kirito, and Strea race the tanker of the Salamander party and they attack hard, but due to their powerful armor and shields, their attacks don't deal too much damage to the tanks in which the mages heal up soon enough.

Leafa says, nervously, "Uh oh!"

Klein asks, nervously, "Now what?"

Kirito shouts out, "Keep attacking! Try to force the mages to keep healing the tankers!"

Strea says, with a nod, "Okay!" Kirito, Leafa, Klein, and Strea continue to attack the tankers of their opponent's group trying to force the mages to focus on healing them, but they only forced some of the mages to focus on healing while the others continue their long range magic attacks including against Sinon, Asuna, Philia, Silica, Lisbeth, and Agil with Sinon's arrows proving ineffective against the mages since they have armor equipment designed against Sinon's weapon as well as anti-magic defensive equipment on them as well.

Asuna shouts out, "Kirito-kun!"

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Darn it! Asuna is going to run out of MP soon!"_

Klein asks, "Any ideas?"

Kirito then says, "I have one!"

Leafa asks, "What is it?"

Kirito says, with a grin, "You'll see, Sugu. You just need to keep them off me for a minute!"

Strea says, excitedly, "Okay!" Kirito leaps back and starts a magic spell in which Leafa's eyes widen as she hears it.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Wait! That's an Metamorphosis illusion spell, but that turns you into a weak mob! What is big brother thinking?!"_ Just then Kirito is engulfed in an energy twister and out of that twister, a Gleam Eyes style monster appears in Kirito's place much to everyone's shock.

Asuna says, shocked, "Kirito-kun…"

Silica asks, a bit nervously, "Is that Kirito?" The monster that Kirito transforms into makes a frightening roar and one of the shield users flinches backwards causing 'Monster Kirito' to charge him and he tries to run away, but he gets impaled by 'Monster Kirito' turns into a Remain Light immediately. This frightening sight causing the shield wall to break up and start to disperse.

The leader of the Salamander party, one of the mages, yells out, "Bakas! Don't break formation! That's illusion magic! Don't break formation!" But then 'Monster Kirito' seemly eats another Salamander and slashes another one turning both of them into Remain Lights as well.

Philia says, amazed and nervous, "He is really getting into it!"

Lisbeth says, with a nervous smile, "That's one way of putting it!"

The actions of 'Monster Kirito' has put the Salamander party in disarray and Strea says, pointing to its current condition, "Hey!" Leafa and Klein look at each other and they nod as they smirk.

The leader of the Salamander party shouts out, nervously, "Hit him with an Explosion spell!"

But before they could start the spell, Klein shouts out, "Not so fast!" Soon after, the mages of the group look to see Klein, Strea, and Leafa burst through the busted shield wall defense and Strea and Leafa crush two Salamander mages, since they aren't equipped for weapons like swords, in which the two mages turn into Remain Lights nearly instantly.

The leader of the Salamander party shouts out, now in a panic himself, "Retreat! Retreat! Fall back!" However, it was too late in which 'Monster Kirito' and the others quickly crush them in which after all of them are Remain Lights, 'Monster Kirito' returns back to 'normal'.

When the battle is over, Klein says, going over a screen, "Man! Look at all of the rare stuff that we got from those guys!"

Silica says, "I feel a bit bad about taking their stuff."

Sinon says, "I don't. It is fair game in here and while PvP is allowed here, ganging on players is bad manners and they got what they deserve."

Lisbeth says, with a grin, "You said it!"

Leafa asks Kirito, "So, big brother, how was it being a monster?"

Kirito says, "Well, it was pretty cool being huge and I was chomping down on them. I was totally getting into the feel of being a monster."

Agil says, a bit nervously, "You are scaring me, bro."

Sinon asks, plainly, "So, what did they taste like?"

Kirito says, "I have to say that they tasted like grilled meat." Kirito licks his chop and he says, "All crispy and…"

The others get nervous with this and Lisbeth says, nervously, "TMI!"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Big TMI!"

Sinon asks, plainly, "Seriously?" Sinon lifts her arm to dismiss Kirito, but he then bites down on her head causing Sinon to yelp out before attempting to scratch out his face. Sinon yells out, angrily, "Try that again and I'll shove a fire arrow up your nose!" Plenty of the others, namely the females, just deadpan at this situation.

 _ **Early June 2025, Unknown location**_

At an unknown location, we look like we are inside of a high-tech facility where a group of figures are looking at a gateway similar to the ones found on Stargate universe and one of them looks at a Naruto manga book in their hands in which one of them smirks.

 _ **June 30, 2025, Tokyo, Kirigaya household**_

Inside of the Kirigaya household, Kazuto and Suguha are preparing to head out.

Suguha says, with a smile, "This is going to be great!"

Kazuto says, "I hope so."

Suguha says, with a grin, "No kidding, big brother. My birthday had gotten interrupting by an 'unwanted guest'…through he really did make a 'blast'."

Kazuto asks, with a smirk, "Seriously, Sugu?" Suguha gives a giggle as the two of them prepare to head out in which the phone rings in which Suguha answers.

Suguha asks, speaking into the phone's speaker, "Hello?"

Just then a familiar male voice answers over the phone, "Suguha-san?"

Suguha asks, surprised, "Ryu-sensei?"

Kazuto's eyes widen at the name and Ryu Hayabusa's voice says over the phone, "It's me."

Suguha asks, plainly, "What's up?"

Ryu responds, "As you expect, I'm not making a 'social call'. I need your help."

Suguha asks, her eyes narrowing, "What do you need?"

Kazuto's eyes narrow and Ryu says, "I'm sorry to call you at this time, but this might be a 'sensitive manner'. I had Kasumi investigate the area where you had found Kayaba's body."

Suguha yells out, shocked, "Wait! What? Why there?"

Ryu responds, "I had looked over the photos and pictures taken inside of the cabin in the aftermath of you finding him and Rinko-san in which I found something 'off'. I couldn't be sure. I had Kasumi to go investigate, but now, her communications have gone silent."

Suguha says, "Well, she is out in the mountains."

Ryu says, "You may be right, but she did have a special satellite phone among other various communication devices. I'm not sure that it is anything wrong. Kasumi was the heir to her clan and she is an excellent kunoichi…"

Suguha says, interrupting, "But you would feel good if someone of my 'power level' makes sure that she is okay and you can't go since you have a mission."

Ryu says, "And it is a special time for your 'royal sibling' and I don't want to cause too much 'heart ache'."

Suguha says, "Well, you know I would like to be celebrating my 'royal sister's' birthday too."

Ryu says, "I'm sorry. I had nowhere else to turn to."

Suguha says, with a sigh, "It's okay, Ryu-sensei. I'll head over there and see if Kasumi is okay."

Ryu responds, "Thank you, Suguha."

Suguha says, with a kind smile, "No problem. Stay safe, sensei."

Ryu replies, "To you as well, Suguha. Farewell." Soon after, Suguha hangs up the phone and she looks at Kazuto.

Before Suguha can speak, Kazuto tells Suguha, with a kind smile, "I'll explain everything to the others."

Suguha gives a look of surprise and Suguha asks, "Are you sure?"

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Well, I was pretty surprised to find out that you and Serena were training in a ninja village."

Flashback; Early June 2025

Valkyrie Sailor Celestial is flying into her room and after she lands in which she hits her broach causing her to de-transform back into Suguha, but she is wearing a green version of Kasumi's classic kunoichi outfit from Dead or Alive.

Just then Kazuto's voice booms, "Sugu?" Suguha winches and she turns to see Kazuto looking at her from her room's open door.

Suguha says, nervously, "Oh, crap."

End Flashback; Return to the Present

Back in the present, Suguha rubs her scalp and she says, remembering that memory, "Yeah, I remember. Caught red-handed."

Kazuto tells Suguha, "Personally, it makes me worried about you and Serena."

Suguha retorts, "Can you really blame us, big brother?"

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "Not really."

Suguha tells Kazuto, with a smile, "I'll be back soon and we'll have a fun time with sis for her birthday."

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "I really hope so." Suguha playfully punches Kazuto's arm and she takes out her broach from her sub-space pocket in which she prepares to head off on her 'mission'.

 _ **June 30, 2025, Japanese countryside**_

Within the mountainous Japanese countryside, Valkyrie Sailor Celestial is floating down towards the countryside cabin where Kayaba was staying and diving into SAO during the whole of over two years of Sword Art Online in which she then sees that it is in bad shape.

Sailor Celestial says, "That's not good." Sailor Celestial then rushes into the cabin to find that the inside has been trashed with burn marks, multiple holes, a lot of damage, and when she enters the room where Kayaba's body was found, there is a massive hole leading outside in which Sailor Celestial says, "I seriously don't like that." Sailor Celestial then charges outside, and she then sees what looks like a series of explosions ahead causing her to fly off. After a good distance, Sailor Celestial looks to see what looks like a female humanoid creature that's green and transparent is staring down a 19-year-old young woman with brown hair that reaches down to her lower shoulder tied in a ponytail, amber eyes, and she is wearing a dark blue, side-tie dress with short puffy sleeves, white trim, white stockings, and low-heeled sandals with a sheath for a short samurai style sword is attached to her back. After seeing this, Sailor Celestial leaps into action and charges in when the young woman is knocked to the ground. Sailor Celestial yells out, "Hey, freak!" The female humanoid creature turns only to be kicked in the face by Sailor Celestial sending the creature into the trees.

The young woman asks, surprised, "Celestial?"

Sailor Celestial asks the young woman, "Are you okay, Kasumi?"

The young woman gets to her feet and responds, "Yes, I am."

Sailor Celestial asks, "What happened Kasumi?"

The young woman, Kasumi, responds, "I was investigating the cabin where Ryu-dono told me to look and I found something."

Sailor Celestial asks, surprised, "You did?"

Kasumi says, with a nod, "Something very important. I was about to contact Ryu-dono until I was attacked by Alpha-One-Fifty-Two."

Sailor Celestial asks, "That thing that I just kicked?"

Kasumi responds, with a nod, "It is an enhanced clone of me."

Sailor Celestial asks, surprised, "A clone of you?"

Kasumi says, with a nod, "That's right. She is an enhanced clone of me…" Kasumi gasps as she points behind Sailor Celestial and she turns to see green female humanoid, Alpha-152, and a whole army of Kasumi clones with red version of her outfit.

Sailor Celestial says, nervously, "Oh, crap."

Kasumi says, "We can't let them get their hands on Kayaba's journals."

Sailor Celestial asks, flabbergasted, "Kayaba's journals?!"

Kasumi says, with a nod, "That's what I found. We can't let anyone get their hands on those journals."

Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, _"No freaking kidding! Who knows what Kayaba put in those journals?"_ Sailor Celestial looks at Alpha-152 and the army of Kasumi clones, which are now charging them, in which she thinks, _"I can't fight and risk them getting those journals! I need to get Kasumi and those journals out of here now!"_ Sailor Celestial then grabs Kasumi and she yells out, "Hang on! We're getting out of here now!"

Kasumi says, with a nod, "Right!" Sailor Celestial leaps into the air and prepares to teleport, but in a swirl of sakura petals, Alpha-152 teleports in and grabs onto Sailor Celestial as she teleports away.

 _ **June 30, 2025, Akihabara District, Tokyo**_

Over the skies of the Akihabara District of Tokyo, Sailor Celestial, Kasumi, and Alpha-152 appear in the skies above Akihabara and he starts to grapple with them in which all three of them are falling from the skies.

Sailor Celestial yells out, "Get off!" Sailor Celestial knocks Alpha-152 off her and she seems to vanish in which Sailor Celestial lets go of Kasumi allowing her to gracefully fall to the ground only to have Alpha-152 teleport above her with Alpha-152 sending Sailor Celestial plummeting into the street with a super-strong kick where Sailor Celestial slams into the street with a huge 'boom' causing dirt and debris high into the sky.

Kasumi yells out, shocked, "Celestial!" Soon after, Kasumi is staring down Alpha-152 and the two of them prepare for battle.

But then Sailor Celestial's voice booms out, "Did you forget about me, goo girl?" Soon after, Valkyrie Sailor Celestial bursts out of the street and decks Alpha-152 right in the chin and sending her flying high into the sky. Sailor Celestial turns to Kasumi and she asks, "Kasumi-sensei, are you okay?"

Kasumi responds, "Yes, I…Watch out!" Kasumi looks ahead of Sailor Celestial and Sailor Celestial whips around only to get spin kicked in the face by Alpha-152 that she just sent flying into the air and right into the side of a car causing it to get seriously damaged with Sailor Celestial being stunned for the moment. Before anything could be said or done, Alpha-152 charges right at Sailor Celestial with the intent to destroy her, but Kasumi, in a swirl of sakura petals, manages to appear in-between Sailor Celestial and the creature in which she manages to block the blow from the creature. However, Kasumi gets kneed in the waist for her efforts.

Sailor Celestial, who has regained her senses, sees this and she yells out, "You bitch!" Sailor Celestial bashes Alpha-152 in the face and sending it flying, but Alpha-152 then teleports away. However, Sailor Celestial spins to her left and grabs the hand of Alpha-152 which has teleported behind her and to her left. Sailor Celestial says, seriously, "I won't fall for that trick again, freak! You're done!" Sailor Celestial then throws Alpha-152 away and freezes it with an icy wind in which, quick as a flash of light, she whips out Elucidator and Dark Repulser, slices the enhanced Kasumi clone multiple times, and the icicle glows before it explodes into nothingness taking Alpha-152 along with it. After sheathing her swords, Sailor Celestial turns to Kasumi, who is back on her feet, and she asks, "Are you okay?"

Kasumi responds, "I am, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial says, with a sigh, "Oh, man. I'm glad that big brother and sis didn't see this." Kasumi then points over in the direction of the group and Sailor Celestial's eyes grow wide when she sees her brother, her 'royal sister', and the rest of our heroes and heroines, Sailor Scouts, Digidestined and their Digimon partners, and SAO survivors, looking at her in which she says, slapping her head, "Oh, crap." Soon after, Sailor Celestial and Kasumi join up with the rest of our heroes and heroines to inform them of the situation not knowing what to expect next…

(Sword Art Online: Lost Song opening theme song 'Cynthia No Hikari' starts)

The first scene shows the duel between Sayer and Suguha/Sailor Celestial in which she uses Pendulum Summoning for the first time.

The next scene has Sailor Celestial and the other Sailor Scouts meeting Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura for the first time as they escape their captors.

This next scene has our heroes and heroines meeting Serena's XYZ Dimension counterpart, Tsuki, and then her Synchro counterpart, Serenity, along with their dragons, Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon and Clear Wing Synchro Dragon.

And finally, we have Kirito, Usagi, and Leafa with Yui looking towards the floating landmasses of Svart Alfheim from a small floating island over Alne. All four of them then fly off towards Svart Alfheim for their adventures ahead in the virtual and real worlds.

(Sword Art Online: Lost Song opening theme song 'Cynthia No Hikari' ends)

 **The End…of After Fragments**

 **To be continued in** **Sailor Moon Online Shippuden: Worlds' Song.**

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope that everyone likes my present. And this is the concluding story to the After Fragments saga. But hold up! You are asking? What about Naruto's, Hinata's, and Sakura's kidnapping from their world and the Leaf Village? Well, I had thought about it and I decide that's going to be another one-shot story that centers around them. The After Fragments saga talks about what happened to our heroes and heroines during the time period after **Hollow Fragment** to **World's Song**. So, what did you think of the saga? I hope that you liked it! And have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Please read and review and no flames as well as 'useless commentary', please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	15. Story 15: Sphere of Memories

Hello again, everyone! In this next story, we return back to Spira to see what is the next adventure for our heroes and heroines now that they have joined up with the Gullwings. What kind of action will they see next? Well, you are going to have to read and see to find out, everyone. Next, before I start this story, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 15: Spira Stories 2: Sphere of Memories**

Note: **Note:** This story takes place in the **Hollow Fragment** timeline and takes place around during time of **Chapter 17** of **World's Song**.

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time), Spira**_

In the world of Spira, we find ourselves on Besaid Island, a small tropical island at the southern most point of this world, which contains a small village surrounded by forests, cliffs, and waterfalls. Right now, we find Yuna, Rikku, and Paine escorting our heroes and heroines, minus the Digimon, from Earth down the path to Besaid Village, the only settlement on the island.

As they are walking along, Izzy asks, looking at the various man-made ruins, "Are these the ruins of the previous civilization?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes. Sin had destroyed all of the Machine cities and this is what remains of them."

Davis says, "Wow. He really must have went to town on them."

Yolei asks Davis, with a glare, "Really, Davis?"

Davis asks, with a shrug, "What?"

Asuna asks Yui, "How are you and Strea doing Yui-chan?"

Yui says, "It feels weird not being able to turn into a pixie, Mama."

Kazuto tells Yui, "You'll get used to it, Yui."

Keiko says, "It is so pretty here."

Amara says, "Maybe, Keiko. But looks can be deceiving." Amara says, looking at Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata, "Our ninja friends can tell us that much."

Paine says, "Your friend has a good point. While Sin is gone for good, there are still plenty of dangers including fiends. Sin has been causing chaos for one millennia, so, there are plenty of deaths to create a lot of fiends from."

Hotaru says, solemnly, "I think that it is really sad."

Lita tells Hotaru, "I know, Hotaru, but we shouldn't feel sorry for the 'monsters'. We are actually doing them a service defeating them."

Paine says, with a nod, "Indeed."

Kotone says, nervously, "I think that's it is kind of sad and kind of scary too."

Mimi says, with a nod, "No kidding, Kotone."

Joe says, "No joke. Dying and coming back as a monster."

Suguha says, a bit nervously, "Let's not try to think about it."

Darien tells Yuna, "Your world has been through a lot."

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes, it has."

Rikku says, "No joke! But it is going to take a long while for Spira to recover. However, thanks to Yunie, with a bit of help from yours truly, our world has all the time in the world to recover."

Paine says, plainly, "Maybe…"

Davis asks, confused, "Maybe?"

Kazuto asks Paine, "You mean the fallout from the truth of Yevon, right?"

Yuna says, with a sigh, "Yes. When the truth about Yevon and Sin was revealed, it caused a lot of shock."

Darien says, "And that shocked turn into anger and rage."

Paine says, with a nod, "It is the reason that Yevon collapsed after the final battle with Sin at Bevelle."

Davis says, "When the whole reason that you live the way that you do is found to be a big fat lie, it kind of throws you for a loop."

Yolei says, plainly, "Big time."

Paine says, "It is where New Yevon and Youth League came in, but now, they have divided our world in two."

Amara says, "That's concerning."

Rikku says, with a smile, "Yeah, but that's not our problem! We're sphere hunters! And if you think that we're being selfish, Yunie gave everything to save Spira two years ago and she was ready to give her life! But not only she didn't give her life, she found a way to give us more than just a 'false peace'!"

Yuna says, with a smile, "Well, I couldn't have done with your help and the others." Soon enough, the group continued on and taking on a few fiends along the way until they reach the edge of Besaid Village.

Serena asks, "Is this it?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes."

Keiko says, "It is a nice place."

Yuna says, "Yes, it is."

Yuna looks nervously at the village and Rikku asks Yuna, "You okay, Yunie?"

Yuna says, nervously, "I'm a little nervously."

Rikku says, "I'll bet. With how you took off without a word."

A male voice shouts out, "Yeah! You said it!" Yuna and Rikku in which they, along with everyone else, look at the source of the voice to see a tall, red haired burly male with a yellow and blue outfit with green sandals walking up to them. The man says, "You caused quite a fuss, young lady."

Yuna says, "I'm sorry."

The man comes over and he responds, "Well, as long as you are okay, ya?"

Asuna asks, "Friend of yours, Yuna?"

Yuna says, with a smile, "Yes. This is Wakka. He was one of my guardians during my journey as a summoner."

The man asks, looking at our heroes and heroines, "Whoa! Are all of these new friends of yours?"

Rikku says, excitedly, "Yep! They literally dropped in on us!"

The man, Wakka, asks, confused, "Huh?"

Yuna giggles and she says, "It is a bit of a story."

Yolei says, with a sigh, "A long story." As they walk into the village, our group explain about who they are and Wakka's eyes 'bug out' when Naruto shows his **Shadow Clone Jutsu**.

Afterwards, Wakka says, "Geez! Now, I thought that I saw everything, ya? A few years ago, I would have thought that you were crazy with that story, but then again, who knows? I've seen enough stuff to make me a believer." Wakka tells Yuna, "You really know how to pick them, ya?" Yuna gives an embarrassed look and Wakka says, "Anyway, you are a sphere hunter now? I've heard the rumors, but I wasn't too worried. Got to say through. You…seem quite different."

Rikku points at Wakka's chest and she says, teasingly, "You haven't changed a bit, tubby."

Wakka says, annoyed, "Whoa! Cut it out, ya! I'm going to be a father soon! Got to have a bit more presence, you know."

Yuna asks, "How much longer?"

Wakka replies, "Any day now."

Rikku says, excitedly, "Wakka, a daddy!"

Wakka says, "To tell the truth, I don't feel like one. I mean, how does one know how a father's supposed to act in front of their kid?"

Davis says, "Geez, dude! Be yourself!"

Rikku then adds in, "Why not do what your parents did?"

Wakka says, "Don't remember them. Sin saw to that when I was still little."

Plenty of the others become solemn and Hotaru says, "That's so sad."

Yuna asks Wakka, "You don't have any spheres of them?"

Wakka replies, "Nope, not a single…" But then Wakka goes into a thoughtful look and he crosses his arms in front of him.

After several seconds, Rikku asks, "What's wrong?"

Wakka replies, nervously, "Oh, nothing! Nothing!"

Mina whispers to the others, "He's obviously hiding something."

Raye tells Mina, plainly and in a whisper, "Obviously, Mina."

Amara whispers in a plain tone, "But none of our business."

Wakka tells Yuna, "Anyway, do me a favor and go say hi to Lu. She has been worried about you." Wakka says, as he starts to walk away, "Also introduce your new friends. I'm sure that she would love to meet them. Having a lot of visitors from another world isn't something that happens every day."

Rikku says, with a smile, "Obviously." As Wakka leaves, Rikku gives a curious look at this.

Asuna asks, "Anything wrong?"

Yuna replies, with a smile, "I'm sure that it is nothing, Asuna. Anyway, let me introduce you to Lulu, Wakka's wife and another of my guardians during my journey as a summoner."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Lead the way, Yuna." Soon enough, our group that came from Earth are led by Yuna and Rikku with Paine following them into a hut and inside of the hut, they find a young woman waiting for them.

This young woman has black hair that's braided in cornrows that lead into a bun and long braids, except for her long forelock, the braids are tied into a knot with four ornamented pins, and four bead-tipped braids fall from it, dark red eyes, violet eyeshadow on her eyelids, deep, full, and gorgeous dark violet lips, and she has on a low-cut dark-gray and black dress that displays her cleavage with two crossed belts on the upper part of each sleeve. The décolletage is trimmed in fur, and the hem and sleeves have ornate lace edges. The lower front of her gown is made of a collection of interlaced belts. She wears a corset and lace-trimmed stockings.

Yolei thinks in her mind, _"Seriously?!"_

The young woman says, "Welcome back."

Yuna tells the young woman, "Hello, Lulu."

Rikku asks, excitedly, "Tell us about the baby! It is going to be born soon, right?"

The young woman responds, "Not yet. Wakka is getting a little ahead of himself."

Rikku says, "Ah, bummer."

Yui asks, curiously, "So, is it time that I learn where babies come from, daddy?"

Kazuto says, nervously, "Um, well…"

Asuna says, nervously, "Well…"

The young woman says, getting to her feet, "I see that you have a lot of new friends, Yuna."

Yuna says, "Yes, they dropped in on us."

Paine says, plainly, "Literally."

Yuna says, pointing to the young woman, "Everyone, this is Lulu, Wakka's wife and one of my guardians during my journey as a summoner. She and Wakka are my closest friends…No, more like my family."

Serena tells the young woman, Lulu, "Nice to meet you, Lulu-san." Soon enough, our other heroes and heroines from Earth introduce themselves and afterwards, Lulu gets to her feet.

Lulu asks, "Care to go for a walk?"

Yuna asks, curiously, "Can you?"

Lulu says, "I could use the exercise. Come on." Lulu walks off with the others following her until they reach the cliffside overlooking Besaid Village and during that walk, our group that came from Earth explain about who they are and why they are here.

When they are done, Lulu says, "A very interesting story. And your…unusual clothing does show that you aren't from around here."

Darien says, "We're trying to find our way back home."

Lulu says, "Well, I can say that your journey won't be easy. I have heard legends of gateways to other worlds, but they are rare and not very well-known."

Kazuto says, "We kind of figured that, but thank you for telling us anyway."

Lulu says, "I have to say that it is best that you stay with Yuna and her sphere hunter group. You might find the vital clue that's needed to get you home."

Lita says, with a grin, "That's the plan."

Lulu nods her head and she then asks Yuna, "Now, Yuna, what was so important that you would run off without telling us?"

Yuna then displays a glowing sphere and she says, "This."

Lulu says, "The sphere. Wakka told me about it." Yuna then activates the sphere and it shows a video of a blond-haired, blue-eyed young man trapped in some kind of prison and ranting about raving about 'saving the summoner' with such passion and intensity that it shows that this person cared about the person, who is obviously female since the young man says 'she' when describing said summoner.

Rikku says, "Kimahri said he found it on Mount Gagazet."

Lulu says, "It looks like him, but something seems…off." When the video is done, Lulu asks, "Have you found anything?"

Yuna replies, "Nothing so far."

Lulu says, "It must be fun being free to go where you please."

Yuna says, "It is fun. I never expected a journey quite like this."

Lulu says, "I'm not there, so, you can spread your wings."

Yuna says, "Maybe." Yuna gasps in surprise as she 'catches' herself."

Lulu says, "You have spread your wings. Well, good luck. But, Yuna, never forget who you are. You are the high summoner who defeated Sin. There are those who would use that, Yuna."

Yuna says, "I won't let myself be used by anyone. Not anymore."

Lulu tells our group, "And good luck to you, all. I wish you luck on returning to your home safely."

Asuna says, "Thank you, Lulu-san."

Kazuto says, "I know that our story is hard to believe."

Lulu says, "I can say that, for us, it is a bit 'out there'. But we have experience that are 'out of the norm'. And your eyes say it all."

Keiko asks, confused, "Our eyes?"

Lulu says, with a nod, "Your eyes speak about your hardships that you have faced. As people that have seen those looks many times before, I can tell that you have faced much hardship." Just then Lulu winches and she steps forward causing her to hold her waist.

Yuna asks, "What is it?"

Lulu says, "It kicked."

Yuna asks, excitedly, "Really?"

Rikku yells out, excitedly, "I want to feel!"

Rikku gently touches Lulu's waist and Yui asks, "What's wrong with Lulu-san?"

Kotone says, a bit nervously, "Well, Yui-chan…"

Davis says, with a grin, "Lulu-san's baby wants out of her mommy's tummy."

Yui asks, confused, "Babies come from mommy's tummies?" Kazuto and Asuna yelp nervously while plenty of the others give sly grins.

TK asks Davis, "Really, Davis?"

Davis tells TK, "They have to get to the 'birds and the bees' sometime, TC." Kazuto and Asuna are looking at each other nervously on how to explain to their currently materialized daughter about childbirth in which they glare at Davis, who gives an innocent smile while Kari gives him a playful punch to his side. Sometime afterwards, Lulu is in front of Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and our heroes and heroines as they are assembled in front of the village.

Lulu asks, "Since all of you came all this why, why not spend the night?"

Ami says, "We don't want to impose."

Lulu says, "It is no problem. The village and I will be glad to have visitors. Things have gotten quite quiet over here since Yuna defeated Sin."

Amara says, "And with the temples not in use…"

Lulu says, "Oh, the temples are being used. They aren't just being used like they used to."

Kazuto asks, curiously, "New Yevon?"

Lulu says, "It isn't just New Yevon. Like just say that I hear that 'other parties' are using certain temples too."

Ami asks, curiously, "Other parties?"

Lulu says, with a smile, "You'll see. Anyway, why not stay the night? After your incredible journey, you have to be tired."

Our heroes and heroines look at each other and Darien says, "We have to accept the fact that we aren't going home any time soon and trying to 'hurry along' will make things worse for us."

Tai says, with a nod, "Darien has a point. Let's take the night off and we have been through a lot since we got here."

Kari says, nodding her head in agreement, "I agree with Tai."

TK says, nodding his head as well, "Same here."

Lulu says, "There might be room at the former Crusaders' Lodge. They always provided bedding for guests before Sin was finally defeated and despite the Crusaders being finally disbanded for good with the fall of Yevon, they are still a good place to rest."

Serena says, "Thank you, Lulu-san."

Lulu heads back to her home and Kazuto says, "It has been a long time since we took a rest."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I agree, Kirito-kun. It kind of feels like we're going through you-know-where again."

Rika says, "That's a scary thought."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "That's understandable, Liz."

Serena says, with a smile, "Let's not get into 'that' too much."

Mina says, "Let's call it a day." Mina then tells TK, grabbing one of his arms, and she says, lovingly, "I found my 'teddy bear' for the night."

TK asks, with a playful smile, "Seriously, Mina-chan?"

Yolei and Davis were about to say something and Yolei says, shaking her head, "Forget it."

Ken tells Yolei, with a smile, "Probably not a good thing to say, Yolei."

Kari tells Davis, "Let's take the day off, Dai-kun."

Davis says, with a smile, "Yeah." The rest of our group nod their heads in agreement and Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and our heroes and heroines from Earth head into the village to take a rest for the evening and recover their strength for the next day.

( **That evening** )

Evening in Besaid Village, we find ourselves looking at the village as Mina is dragging TK out of the large blue tent-like structure and into the forest nearby.

TK asks Mina, "Mina-chan, what are you doing?"

Mina responds, "Geez, Takeru-kun. We are on a tropical island despite all of the monsters on it."

TK tells Mina, with a sigh, "What am I going to do with you?"

Mina responds, with a sly smirk, "How about kissing me?" Mina then kisses TK right on the lips causing TK to flush as Mina embraces him as well and TK can't help to respond by kissing Mina back with the same love and intensity as Mina is kissing him. The two of them continue to kiss for a while only breaking to get some air into their lungs.

When they stop kissing each other, TK tells Mina, with a loving smile, "How do I put up with you?"

Mina responds, with a loving smile, "Maybe it is because you have the avatar of the goddess of love and beauty as your girlfriend?" TK giggles as he embraces Mina and the two of them share another intense and loving kiss. On the meanwhile, Davis and Kari are sneaking out of the blue tent-like structure and heading into the temple in the village.

Kari asks Davis, "Are you sure about this Dai-kun?"

Davis responds, "I know that this is 'weird' and all…"

Kari tells Davis, with a smirk, "Dai-kun, when is our life 'normal'?"

Davis says, with a grin, "Point taken."

Kari tells Davis, "So, you 'sensed' something?"

Davis says, "Yeah." The two of them sneak into the temple and they look around.

Kari says, amazed, "Wow."

Davis gives a whistle and he says, "Not bad."

Kari giggles at Davis and she asks, "Where did you 'sense' this 'disturbance'?"

Davis responds, looking around, "Can't really say, Kari-chan. I knew that it came from here, but I can't get a read on it."

Kari looks around and she says, shaking her head, "Well, I don't think that it is just nerves, Dai-kun."

Davis asks, surprised, "You sense something too?"

Kari says, "I feel…something."

Davis asks Kari, "What is it?"

Kari responds, "I…I don't know…but it isn't good…" Kari holds her head and she starts to walk unsteadily.

Davis says, worriedly, "Kari!" Davis runs over to Kari and when she starts to faint, Davis catches her in his arms. Davis asks, concerned, "Are you okay? Kari? Kari?" Davis then decides to carry Kari out of the temple in classic bridal style fashion back to the blue tent-like structure in which he lies her down and keeps an eye on her in which he falls asleep by her side. As Davis keeps an eye on Kari, we find Kazuto and Asuna snuggling Yui with Strea snuggling against Kazuto's back. Naruto is in a deep sleep on his cot with Hinata and Sakura sleeping nearby and all three of them are lightly moaning with Suguha also lightly moaning as well in which all four of them are inside some kind of temple complex with Suguha looking like she is in her ALO avatar of Leafa and Suguha/Leafa is dressed in a green belly dancer style outfit causing her to blush in embarrassment, but before she could scream out, Sakura, wearing a pink belly dancer outfit, and Hinata, wearing a violet belly dancer outfit, grab onto her and drag her to Naruto, who is relaxing on a mass of pillows.

( **The following morning** )

The following morning, our heroes and heroines wake up and all of them are leaving the large blue tent-like structure with TK and Mina holding hands.

Ken asks Yolei, "You okay, Yolei?"

Yolei says, with a shrug, "Not bad. Not the best, but I've been in worst."

Matt says, with a nod, "We know what you mean."

Tai says, "Hope Agumon and the others are okay."

Sora says, with a smile, "I'm sure that they are Tai."

Asuna looks up into the sky and she says, "It is so lovely here."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Hard to believe that a world destroying monster was rampaging here just a few years ago."

Sakura tells Kazuto, "Well, we, shinobi, know better than that to take things at face value."

Naruto says, with a nod, "Believe it."

Hinata says, "And it sounds like that Spira still has plenty of problems to deal with."

Davis says, "Well, living life under a huge lie for one thousand years and then having that life revealed to be a big fat lie can throw any community into chaos."

Yolei asks Davis, "Did you say something that made sense?"

Davis says, annoyed with a glare, "Watch it!"

Keiko asks, looking at a location, "What's going on with Yuna-san and her friends?" Everyone then looks to see Yuna, Rikku, and Paine talking with Lulu and the group goes over to them.

Serena asks, "Is something wrong?"

Rikku says, "Hey there!"

Yuna says, "It seems like Wakka is missing."

Darien asks, curiously, "Missing?"

Yuna says, "Lulu said that he left this morning and said something about a cave."

Mina asks, curiously, "A cave?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Lulu said that we should ask around."

Serena asks, "Can we help?"

Yuna asks, "Really?"

Davis replies, with a smile, "No duh! You helped us out, Yuna-san!"

Keiko says, with a nod, "That's right."

Mina says, with a grin, "Plus, we're a part of your team, so, it is no joke that we're going to help you out!"

Yuna says, with a warm smile, "Thank you."

Davis says, with a grin, "No big."

Asuna says, with a nod of her head, "We are glad to help, Yuna-san." Soon enough, our group that came from Earth start to ask the people of Besaid Village about Wakka and the cave in which they learn about a cave and a password to get into the cave in which the numbers for the password are scattered all over the island. The group then starts to explore the whole of Besaid Island and they managed to find four numbers where they find themselves in front of a high-tech door with a code lock.

Rika asks, curiously, "What kind of cave has a high-tech door with a high-tech lock?"

Ken says, "Maybe it was some kind of facility back in the past before Sin."

Izzy says, with a nod, "That might be a possibility."

Lita asks, "So, what do we do now?"

Darien says, "We have managed to find four numbers and this code is four digit number."

Kotone says, "But that could be a lot of combinations of numbers."

Kazuto says, "Not exactly."

Asuna asks Kazuto, "What do you mean Kirito-kun?"

Kazuto says, "Remember the clues that the villagers gave us? They were talking about numbers going 'after this' or 'before that'."

Izzy says, "It must be a sequence to the four numbers that we found."

Mimi asks, confused, "But which order do they go to?"

Mina says, with a shrug, "You got me." Plenty of the others go into deep thought for a while and then Ken and Kazuto whisper to each other.

Yolei asks, curiously, "Ken?"

When Ken and Kazuto stop whispering, Ken asks, "You think?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "I think that's the solution."

Ken asks Yuna, "Yuna, may we try to open it?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Of course." Ken and Kazuto go up to the keypad and hit the numbers in a certain manner causing the door to open.

Rikku yells out, excitedly, "It's opening!"

TK says, "Nice one."

Tai says, with a smile, "I'm not surprised."

Davis says, excitedly, "Awesome!"

Rikku yells out, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go already!"

Davis shouts out, "Hey! That's my line!" Soon enough, our group enter into the 'cave' where they find Wakka sitting down on the ground with his arms crossed in front of him.

Wakka looks behind him, sees the group, turns back around, and he asks, calmly, "Something wrong?"

Amara says, plainly, "Yeah. You."

Michelle says, "Your wife knows that you can fight fiends just fine, but she is worried about you keeping secrets from her since she feels that it isn't like you."

Serena says, "So, we came to check on you?"

Rikku asks, "Is there something in this cave?"

Wakka says, "Um, yeah…something like that."

Mina asks, confused, "What do you mean?"

Wakka replies, "I'm thinking 'who knows', ya? But I thought 'what if'…"

Yolei asks, confused, "What if what?"

Wakka says, "I thought maybe it could be real or then again, maybe it never was."

Mimi asks, curiously, "Um, translation please?"

Paine asks, "So, you are saying that something might be here and you want to make sure, right?"

Wakka says, "Right. But you see, I want to know, however, I also don't want to know."

Lita says, "Okay, I'm confused."

Mina says, confused, "You aren't the only one, Lita-chan."

Rikku asks, annoyed, "Aw, man, make up your mind! What is this thing anyway?"

Wakka says, "Well…See, I heard that there was this old sphere."

Rikku asks, curiously, "A sphere? Of what?"

Wakka responds, "A sphere of…you know. What does it matter?"

Paine starts to head off and Davis says, "I guess that we are going."

Paine says, plainly, "We're sphere hunters."

Rikku says, excitedly, "That sphere is as good as ours."

Yuna says, "All right, Gullwings…"

Rikku says, finishing for Yuna, "It's time for business!" Soon enough, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine head off with the rest of our heroes and heroines heading off after them.

After they head off, Wakka asks, "The Gullwings, huh?" Soon enough, our group is venturing into the caverns encountering fields like Sallet and Coeurl in which they dispatch them well enough.

As they continue along, Rika asks Kazuto and Asuna, "Do you think that it was a good idea to leave Yui in the village?"

Kazuto says, with a smile, "She'll be fine with Lulu-san."

Asuna says, with a smile, "She is a very reliable person."

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes, she is." Our group continues on and fighting more fiends along the way until they find a podium, like the one that they found in the secret room within Mount Gagazet, containing a sphere on it. When they assemble around it, Suguha, Kazuto, Serena, Raye, and Amara get a 'bad feeling'.

Suguha says, nervously, "Oh, boy."

Lita asks Serena, "Serena?"

Serena says, nervously, "Yep."

Everyone hears a loud growl behind them and Mimi asks, nervously, "What was that?"

Yolei responds, nervously, "Something that says, 'don't look behind you', Mimi." Everyone then looks/glances behind them and they see a massive lizard-like fiend with flames coming out of its shut mouth behind them.

Joe says, nervously, "Oh, great."

Mina says, nervously, "Oh, man."

Paine says, "Find a sphere and the fiends appear."

Tai yells out, "Here it comes!" Immediately, our group gets into defensive stances and surround the lizard-like fiend, known as a Flame Dragon, on three sides.

Keiko says, nervously, "He's big."

Lita says, "Well, the bigger they are, the harder they fall!"

" **Valkyrie Moon Power, Make-up!** "

" **Valkyrie Sun Power, Make-up!** "

" **Valkyrie Celestial Power, Make-up!** "

" **Valkyrie Star Power, Make-up!** "

" **Mercury Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Venus Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Mars Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Jupiter Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Saturn Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Uranus Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Neptune Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Pluto Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Orion Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

With those words, Serena, Kari, Suguha, Asuna, Ami, Mina, Raye, Lita, Hotaru, Amara, Michelle, Trista, and Shion transform into their Sailor Scout forms of Valkyrie Sailor Moon, Valkyrie Sailor Celestial, Valkyrie Sailor Sun, Valkyrie Sailor Star, and Eternal Sailors Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Orion.

Rikku says, amazed, "Wow."

Yolei says, with a grin, "You'll get used to it, Rikku."

Sailor Saturn says, "Look out, everyone!" Everyone the ducks/dodges a flame assault from the Flame Dragon.

Sailor Jupiter says, annoyed, "Why am I not surprised! Big dragon monster has to a flame attack!"

Sailor Orion says, plainly, "Less complaining and more attacking." Sailor Orion attacks with an arrow that hits the Flame Dragon right in-between its eyes causing it to howl.

Sailor Moon asks Sailor Star, "Are you going to be okay?'

Sailor Star says, with a nod, "I think so."

Sailor Celestial says, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

Paine says, branding her sword, "As your friend said: Less talk and more action."

Sailor Orion says, with a plain tone, "Thank you." Sailor Orion fires another arrow while Paine leaps up and slashes at Flame Dragon causing it to roar as it get damaged more. Everyone else then joins in with them dodging Flame Dragon's flame assaults as well as its slashing attacks from its front hands/claws with Sailor Celestial and Sailor Moon blocking with their swords for example. The battle isn't exactly easy, but it isn't hard since there is only one Flame Dragon and our group is a large group in which the Flame Dragon dispels into hundreds of pyrefiles soon enough.

With the battle over, Rikku scoops up the sphere and she says, "Another one for the Gullwings." Afterwards, our group returns to Wakka and show him the sphere which seems to a silent tour around the waterfall area of Besaid Island.

When the sphere stops its recording, Yolei asks, "That's it?"

Kotone says, with a sigh, "I thought that we would find a nice treasure."

Kazuto asks Wakka, "This isn't the sphere, is it?"

Wakka says, with a nod, "Ya, you're right! That ISN'T the sphere I'm looking for."

Sailor Celestial asks, curiously, "So, what are you looking for?"

Kazuto says, "A sphere showing his parents." Wakka looks at Kazuto with a surprised look and Kazuto says, with a smile, "Lucky guess."

Tai tells Kazuto, with a smirk, "Doubtful, dude."

Yuna asks Wakka, "Is this true?"

Wakka replies, with a nod, "Chappu said that he found a sphere of our parents."

Sailor Moon asks, "Chappu?"

Yuna says, with a sigh, "Wakka's brother. He fought with Crusaders to keep Lulu safe. He was Lulu's lover before she married Wakka. He…He died one year before the start of my journey."

Keiko says, solemnly, "I'm sorry, Wakka-san."

Wakka responds, "What are you sorry about ya? It was Sin that killed Chappu and he is pushing daisies, ya!" Wakka says, with a sigh, "To be honest, I'm really glad that Sin is gone for good. I feel like Chappu and the others can rest in peace though all this trouble in Spira would make Chappu's head shake." Wakka says, with a grin, "Knowing him, he would be off finding a way to solve this problem. But I'm not Chappu and I have a family to take care of. However, I'm not sure how to be a dad since I didn't have parents to teach me."

Paine says, "And when Yuna mentioned a sphere, you remember what Chappu said to you."

Wakka says, "That's right. We got into a silly little argument and Chappu said: 'I found a sphere with mom and dad on it, but I'm not telling you where it is'."

Shion says, "You know, not to rain down on your hopes, it may have been a childish taunt."

Wakka says, with a shrug, "Maybe. Who knows? Anyway, I was too bone-headed to let my little bro win, so, I let it go without a word and forget all about it. And like your friend, Paine, just said, Yuna got me thinking all about it. Since Chappu played here when he was younger, I thought that he found it or at least, hide it here, ya? But when I came to look, I got thinking. You see, I got this image of my parents in my head…"

Ken tells Wakka, "And you were afraid that if your brother's story about the sphere was true, the image of your parents wouldn't match the one that you have made in your mind."

Wakka looks at Ken in surprise and Wakka then asks Yuna, "Are you sure that your new friends don't have some kind of ability to see in the future or something like that? That's kind of scary, ya?"

Yolei says, with a smile, "That's my Ken-kun. He is grooming himself into quite the detective."

Wakka says, with a nod, "I'll say."

Yuna asks, "Do you want us to help find it?"

Wakka tells Yuna, "No. I'm done with worrying about this stuff. What's past is past? Can't let it get to me."

Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial think in their minds, solemnly and at the same time, _"Wish that I could say the same."_

Wakka says, "I'm going to be a father soon! I've got to keep it together!"

Cody tells Wakka, "The way that you see your parents may not be wrong."

Wakka asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Cody responds, "I lost my dad when I was really young too. He was a police officer and he died protecting others." Wakka's eyes widen and Cody says, "All that I know of him are the stories that my mother and grandfather told me and I have my own image of him in my head. That image may not exactly be right, but it isn't wrong either."

Wakka asks, "So, I shouldn't get so obsessed with what my parents look like since my own view of them should be correct, ya?"

Ken says, with a nod, "Exactly, Wakka."

Wakka nods his head and he says, "You have a point there."

Just then Buddy's voice comes over the communicator and he asks, "Everything okay over there?"

Yuna replies over the communicator, "Just fine."

Buddy says, "You better get back here especially our new friends. Brother just pissed off their 'monster friends' and he is learning why not." Just then there are sounds of yelps, cries, and insults from Brother until Buddy giggles and he says, "Actually, take your time."

Yolei asks, annoyed, "What did that brother of yours do now?"

Rikku says, with a wide grin, "I don't know, but let's take Buddy's advice."

Keiko tells Rikku, "But he is your brother."

Rikku responds, annoyed, "Don't remind me."

The others look at each other and Lita asks, "Do you want to give Rikku's brother mercy?"

Sakura retorts, plainly, "After the lecherous way he was going after Yuna-san…No."

Naruto says, with a nod, "Believe it."

Davis says, "That's so wrong in many ways."

Mina says, "True, but it doesn't mean that he is a bad guy."

Tai says, with a sigh, "Okay, we'll give him a break." Plenty of the others can't help to giggle at this as they prepare to head back to the Celsius to Brother from the Digimon's 'wrath'.

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time), Spira, Celsius**_

On board the Celsius, we are on the bridge as Brother is snarling as he is sporting an annoyed look from his seat on the bridge while the Digimon are giving annoyed looks themselves with Buddy, Shirna, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and the rest of the group from Earth having mixed looks.

Buddy then says, "There are treasure sphere waves coming from Zanarkand!"

Rikku says, excitedly, "Cool!"

Paine asks, plainly, "What are we waiting for?"

Izzy asks Yuna, "Wasn't Zanarkand the city that Yu Yevon ruled?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "That's right. He and the citizens created their own 'dream version' to preserve the memory of Zanarkand for all time and Yu Yevon created Sin to protect it through Yu Yevon never truly controlled it. He only programmed Sin, namely himself, since the creature that he turned himself into was too powerful for him and caused him to lose his conscious mind in which all of the machina cities were destroyed with the original Zanarkand the first to go."

Darien asks, "And in the ruins, the 'spirit' of Yu Yevon's daughter waited for summoners to give them the Final Aeon, correct?"

Yuna says, nodding her head, "That's right. Lady Yunalesca, of which I was named by my father, defeated Sin with the Final Aeon and she died due to the Yu Yevon taking over the Final Aeon that she made by turning her husband, Lord Zaon, into the Fayth of the Final Aeon. Every summoner that makes it through the journey to Zanarkand is 'gifted' the Final Aeon, but they have to sacrifice one of their guardians to do so. For the Final Aeon to have the power to beat Sin, the bond between the summoner and their Final Aeon must be strong in which the Fayth has to be someone close to the summoner: Friend, family, or even lover. We were taught that if humanity has truly made up for its sins, then Sin would never come back."

Davis says, "That was a big fat lie."

Paine says, with a nod, "Got that right."

Rikku says, nodding her head, "No joke." Rikku says, with a grin, "But Yunie and our group found another way and we sent Sin packing for good."

Kotone asks, curiously, "So, what's Zanarkand like now?"

Rika asks Kotone, with a grin, "Thinking like a treasure hunter?"

Kotone gains a nervous look and Buddy says, nervously, "Well…"

Tai asks, curiously, "What's with that reaction?"

Buddy says, "You are going to have to wait and see."

Brother yells out, angrily, "And take those little monsters with you!"

TK asks Patamon, "What happened?"

Patamon responds, "You don't want to know."

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time), Spira, Zanarkand**_

At the ruins of the ancient machina city, Zanarkand, Yuna, Paine, and Rikku along with our group from Earth, MINUS the Digimon partners, are assembled as they see the huge crowd assembled in an area outside of the ruins.

Paine says, "A tourist attraction."

Rikku asks, "Whose idea was that?"

Keiko says, "There are so many people."

Rika says, "Can't be too surprised since this is where the famous heroine rested with her group before going off to get the Final Aeon and this is where summoners go off to battle Sin for around one millennia before he was crushed for good."

Asuna tells Rika, "While that's true, Liz, this has personal meaning to Yuna-san."

Rika says, nervously, "Right." Our group ventures along in which Yuna goes up a small mound where she sees a young man in his late twenties with brown hair, half-closed eyes and an oval face. He wears a white robe and a blue blouse with long white cuffs over it. His waist is adorned with a wide sea-green belt which has strings tied into a bow. Over this, the young man is wearing a black, knee-length jacket with sea-green edging.

The young man asks, "Hello, Yuna. You've changed so much that I hardly recognize you. Remember me?"

Yuna says, "It is nice to see you, Isaaru."

The young man responds, "I'm so honored that you remember me, Yuna."

Amara asks Yuna, "Friend of yours?"

Yuna says, "Isaaru is a fellow summoner."

Isaaru says, with a smile, "Former summoner. All of the summoners are out of a job since the Fayth have gone and Sin is no more." Isaaru says, "It amazes me that you have so many friends, but I'm not surprised, Yuna. You may have changed, but the best parts of you haven't changed one bit and I am glad for that."

Yuna tells Isaaru, "Thank you, Isaaru. However, what are you doing here?"

Isaaru says, "Ah, yes. I'm helping Cid with his work."

Hotaru asks Rikku, "Isn't Cid your dad's name?"

Rikku says, nervously, "Don't look at me."

Isaaru says, "I guild people through Zanarkand once the most sacred of places."

Davis asks, nervously, "Not so scared anymore, huh?"

Isaaru says, "A good and accurate assessment. People from all over Spira come here including sphere hunters."

Ken says, "That isn't too surprising. There could be plenty of spheres from ancient times back here based on seeing how durable spheres are…at least to the ravages of time."

Isaaru says, with a nod, "Spheres aren't indestructible, but they can last far longer than any of us could. With the revelations about Yevon, people wish to know the true history of Spira…or keep it for themselves for their own purposes."

Yuna says, solemnly, "I see."

Rikku asks, "What is pops thinking?"

Tai asks Rikku, "I take it that this Cid is your dad?"

Paine says, with a nod, "Cid is Rikku's father and Yuna's uncle. He is also the leader of the Al Bhed."

Isaaru tells Yuna, "I can see that this is upsetting you. But this is a place of great historical importance to all of Spira."

Yuna says, lowly, "I know, but still I never wanted anyone else to stand there."

Isaaru asks, confused, "Yuna?"

Yuna says, plainly, "Nothing. Forget it."

Isaaru says, "If you say so. Anyway, I must get to work. Take care, Yuna." Isaaru walks off and leaving our group alone.

Ken says, "It might be a place of great historical importance to this world, but it doesn't mean that you can let people walk all over it."

Cody says, "Indeed. While it is right for this to be shared with the world, but if you let people do something like this, they will most likely cause damage to it. And by the looks of it, treasure hunters are raiding it. They could cause damage to the structure itself or take away important artifacts that need to be preserved."

Rikku says, with a sigh, "That would be my dad for you."

Amara asks Rikku, "I take it that he has come up with crazy and irritated ideas before, right?"

Rikku says, with a nod, "Big time."

Davis asks Yuna, "You want to go inside and see how much damage that he has caused?"

Yolei tells Davis, annoyed, "Davis!"

Davis says, "Hey, I'm trying to be honest."

Yuna says, "It's all right. Anyway, let's find that sphere before anyone else does."

Asuna asks Yuna, "You are going to be okay, Yuna-san?" Yuna just nods her head and our group head towards Zanarkand Dome, where, at the entrance, they see three young kids assembled together.

One of the kids, the leader of the group, asks, "Taro! Hana! Are you ready?"

The young boy asks, nervously, "Um, what was the clue again?"

The young girl says, "Come on, Taro! It's 'key'!"

The leader of the three kids says, "All right, let's head out!"

The other two replies in unison, "Yes, sir!"

The three kids run into the structure and Mina asks, "What were they talking about?"

TK says, "Sounds like they were on a treasure hunt or something."

Kotone asks, curiously, "Key?"

Keiko asks, "Should we follow them?"

Paine says, "We better. The dome is filled with pyrefiles making it like a giant sphere and there has been a lot of death here."

Tai says, "Which means a lot of fiends."

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes. During my journey through the dome, my guardians and I faced plenty of fiends and old battle machina that was never turned off."

Davis asks, "So, what are we waiting for?" The group run inside of the Zanarkand Dome and they see the three kids looking around.

The boy asks, "Which way?'

The leader of the three kids respond, "This way!"

The girl says, with a nod, "Right!" The kids race ahead and our group follow them in which they then see an Ice Elemental and Nashorn fiends. The three kids prepare for battle, but our group leap in front and prepare to battle them in their place.

The leader of the kids asks, "Lady Yuna?" Yuna didn't have time to reply to that as the three Gullwings and our heroes and heroines prepare to battle the two fiends.

Izzy asks, "Didn't those elemental fiends have a weakness?"

Paine says, "An ice elemental fiend is weak to fire attacks."

Tai says, "Wish we had Agumon and the others with us."

Kari tells Tai, "We had to keep them aboard the Celsius like with Besaid. The people could have confused them with fiends."

Mimi asks, "How can you confuse talking monsters with creatures like this?"

Joe says, "Actually…That's a good question, Mimi."

Amara says, "More clobbering and less talking, Joe."

Asuna says, "Let me try something." Asuna glows as her current outfit, similar to her SAO avatar's Knights of the Blood uniform, 'transforms' into an outfit that's similar to Yuna's Black Mage outfit, but it is mainly blue and white in colors.

Keiko says, amazed, "Wow."

Mina says, excitedly, "You are getting used to these Dressphere, girlfriend." Asuna then unleashes rapid number of **Fire** attacks on the Ice Elemental and taking it out in which vanishes in a series of pyrefiles, but the Nashorn attacks in which our group barely manages to avoid, however, Davis leaps in and bashes Nashorn with a **Power Break** attack and weakening the attack power of the Nashorn.

Kari says, with a smile, "Good one, Dai-kun."

Lita says, with a grin, "Time to finish this overgrown dog off!"

Rika yells out, "My pleasure!" Rika then slams down her mace on the head of the Nashorn with Serena and Suguha finish it off with a one-two attacks where it turned into pyrefiles that dispel.

With the fiends gone, Yuna asks the three kids, "Are you okay?"

The girl says, "We're okay, Lady Yuna."

The leader of the kids says, "Hey, Lady Yuna! Remember me? I know that you do."

Yuna replies, "You're Pacce."

The leader of the kids replies, excitedly, "You remember me!"

Kari asks, "Someone that you know."

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes. He is Pacce, Isaaru's younger brother."

The leader of the kids, Pacce, says, pointing to the young girl, "This is Hana." Pacce then says, pointing to the young boy, "And this is Taro."

The young boy, Taro, says, shyly, "Nice to meet you, Lady Yuna."

Yuna asks, "What are you doing here?"

Rikku says, with a nod, "Yeah, there are fiends around!"

The young girl, Hana, says, "Fiends? Ha!"

Pacce says, "That's right! We're sphere hunters!"

Pacce, Hana, and Taro say in unison, while striking a 'silly pose', "The Kinderguardians!"

A few of the others giggle at this and Lita says, with a smirk, "I guess it takes all types and ages in this business."

Michelle says, with a warm smile, "I think that it is quite cute, Lita-chan."

Rikku asks, "You, here, on some kind of treasure hunt?"

Ken says, "That means that 'key' is a clue to finding that treasure that you are looking for."

Pacce says, "Yes, that's right."

Hana tells Pacce, "Pacce, we paid fifteen whole gil for that!"

Pacce says, nervously, "Oh, yeah! Right!"

Hana says, "Let's go!"

Pacce says, "Kinderguardians, let's move out!" Soon after, all three of the 'Kinderguardians' run off into the distance with Pacce calling out, "See you later, Lady Yuna!"

Paine asks, "Fifteen gil for a clue?"

Mimi asks, "Should we let them run off like that?"

Rikku says, with a smile, "Pacce will be just fine! He is a former guardian after all."

Matt asks, surprised, "A guardian?"

Yuna says, "Yes, he and Isaaru were Isaaru's guardians for his journey as a summoner."

Rikku says, with a smile, "So, you don't need to worry about him! His brothers taught him a lot, so, he will be just fine!"

Yuna says, "However, I would like to keep an eye on him."

Davis says, with a nod, "Good idea."

Kazuto says, nodding his head in agreement, "Agreed." Soon enough, our group race off to catch up with Pacce and his 'sphere hunter team' until they look to see one of Leblanc's male 'henchmen' talking into his wireless headset and facing away from our group in which he doesn't know that they are sneaking up behind him.

The male goon says, over the communicator, "Come in. Come in. Do you read me?" When the male goon gets an answer, he tells the person the 'other side', "Oh, hey. I wanted to double-check that clue. It's 'mon', right? I just heard some kids saying that it was 'key'." After a short time, the goon says, "Yeah, I figured it was 'mon'. Over and out."

Paine asks, "The clues are 'key' and 'mon'?"

The male goon turns towards Paine and he yelps out, surprised, "What?! The Gullwings?!"

Suguha says, "You should really learn to watch your back."

Mina says, with a grin, "You don't know who is coming up behind you."

Yuna asks, "Key-mon?"

Rikku says, snapping her fingers, "Monkey!"

The male goon yells out, "We won't let you off so easily this time!" Just then the male goon brings out three Flak Pythons and they prepare for battle.

Yolei says, annoyed, "Here we go again."

Lita says, with a wide grin, "Allow me!"

" **Jupiter Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

Lita's clothes melt away as her ribbons wrap around her body and take the form of her fuku in which Eternal Sailor Jupiter replaces Lita with our group in which she immediately unleashes a powerful lightning assault that hits all three Flak Pythons at once causing them to short-circuit before self-destructing.

The male goon asks, shocked, "What?"

Rikku says, with a grin, "It looks like you are outgunned now, pal."

Paine asks, with a deadpan voice, "Really, Rikku?" To make a long story short, the male goon was defeated in no time.

After the fight, Kotone says, "It seems like we aren't the only ones here for treasure."

Hotaru asks, "Do you think that they are after the same sphere that we detected?"

Darien says, plainly, "Maybe…"

Serena asks Darien, "Is something up Darien-kun?'

Darien says, "I'm not sure, yet, Serena."

Tai says, "Anyway, we should keep going." The group then continues on in which they continue to fight more fiends as well as two more groups of Leblanc's 'goons' until they enter a hallway where they find a group of people assembled in a hallway.

Yolei asks, "Who are all these people?"

Cody says, "Most likely, tour groups and treasure hunters."

Davis says, looking around, "They picked this place clean." Yuna and Rikku can't help to show their annoyance and disappointment in what they are seeing. As they continue onto the entrance to the chamber that contains the statue of the first Final Aeon, namely Yunalesca's lover, Zaon, they find Pacce and his teammates looking at a treasure chest and jumping in excitement.

Rikku then asks, "The clue is monkey, right?"

Izzy says, "Based on the information, yes."

Rikku asks, sarcastically, "Just a coincidence, right?" Everyone looks at a pair of monkeys that are nearby and they go downstairs where the chamber containing the statue for the first Final Aeon is kept where they find two people talking.

One of them is in their late thirties with bald scalp with the word "Love" tattooed in Al Bhed on his head. He has black eyebrows and some dark facial hair. He dresses like most other Al Bhed, in a yellow and brown dive-suit type outfit with green belts and a collar, with blue elbow-length gloves and blue shoes. He has goggles hanging around his neck.

The bald male hears our group coming towards them and he says, looking at them, "Welcome! Well, I'll be, if it isn't Yuna!" The bald male then asks, slyly, "Come to buy a clue from old Cid, right?"

Rikku then yells out, in Al Bhed, "[What do you think you are doing, pops?]"

Mina asks Ami, "Translation?"

Ami says, "Based on what my computer has gathered, I believe she asked him what he is doing and called him 'pops'."

Hotaru asks, "Does that mean…?"

Yuna responds, with a nod, "Cid, Rikku's father and my uncle."

Rikku tells the bald man, her father, Cid, "Turning this place into a gift shop? Hello!"

Cid asks, annoyed, "What? You have got a bone to pick?"

Davis says, "You bet your daughter and niece do, pal! This place is important to them!"

Amara says, "Not to mention the people of this world."

Yuna says, "It isn't right, Uncle Cid."

Cid asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Rikku yells out, "It just like us turning the ruins of Home into a theme park!"

Cid asks, surprised, "Huh?" After a minute, he says, after thinking about it, "I see your point. I need to think about it." Cid then walks off and the group enters the next chamber.

Kotone says, "Wow."

Rikku says, with a nod, "Yeah. This is where Yunalesca greeted the summoners that completed their journey…and forced them to choose one of their guardians to be the Fayth of the Final Aeon."

Darien says, "To become a false hope."

Paine says, with a nod, "Yep." After the group searches this chamber, they then ventures into the final chamber, but when they assemble in the chamber, they hear a loud laugh echo through the chamber.

Kazuto says, plainly, "Uh oh."

Rikku yells out, "Who's there?"

The deep male voice shouts out, echoing throughout the room, "You have done well to get this far, sphere hunters. But you will not have the treasure that you seek so easily."

TK thinks in his mind, _"Is it me or does his voice sound familiar?"_

Paine yells out, "So we fight!"

The deep male voice shouts out, "If you want the treasure, you must speak the password!"

Paine asks, "Password?"

Yuna asks, curiously, "The clues?"

Rikku yells out, "Oh, I know! The password is monkey!"

The deep male voice responds, with a nervous tone, "Oh, yes! Good! So, tell me: What's the meaning of life?"

Yuna asks, confused, "What?"

Davis asks, "Doesn't that voice sound familiar?"

Ken says, with a nod, "Yeah, like we hear it before."

Kotone says, "It does sound familiar."

Yuna thinks for a moment and she then asks, "Isaaru?"

Rikku says, realizing, "Hey, that does sort of sound like Isaaru!"

The deep male voice shouts out, nervously, "Is that your final answer?"

Rikku shouts out, "The jig is up! Show yourself, Isaaru!"

The deep male voice responds, nervously, "Um, fine." Everyone hears footsteps and they turn towards the footsteps to see Isaaru walking up to them.

Yuna asks, confused, "Um, what are you doing?"

Isaaru says, "My job. I bring excitement to those that see this sacred place. I, too, wished to see this place someday. Working here has somehow fulfilled that wish."

Yuna says, with a sigh, "I see…"

Davis asks, "Guess being an EX-summoner doesn't leave you with too many 'job chances' unless you are Yuna, huh?"

Isaaru says, "I must apologize for the quiz. Here is something for your trouble." Isaaru hands over a Garment Grid to Yuna and he then says, using his 'quiz voice', "Kay! Thanks for coming! And remember, the ruins of Zanarkand will be waiting!"

After Isaaru leaves, Paine says, "Ex-Summoners come in all flavors."

Yuna says, with a smile, "Apparently so."

Rikku asks, "Are we done here?"

Kazuto says, "There is still the sphere that's here."

Serena asks, "Do you think that it could be nearby?"

Ami says, having her computer out, "I'm getting a signal on my computer."

Mina asks Ami, "You are?"

Izzy says, "Shirna helped adapt our computers to the sphere finder program on the Celsius."

Davis says, with a smile, "Cool."

Paine says, "Then let's go find it."

Rikku says, with a smile, "Right." Our group then descends into deep portion of the structure where they are fighting Behemoth and Gecko fiends, among others, along the way, until they see a pedestal that contains half-a-sphere.

Hotaru asks, "Is that it?"

Just then there is a loud crashing 'thump' sound and Paine says, "We're not alone." From seemly nowhere, a massive grey dragon-like fiend lands in front of them.

Rikku asks, nervously, "Do you think we need a password?"

Paine responds, "How about 'kick its ass'?"

Amara says, plainly, "Good idea."

" **Valkyrie Moon Power, Make-up!** "

" **Valkyrie Sun Power, Make-up!** "

" **Valkyrie Celestial Power, Make-up!** "

" **Valkyrie Star Power, Make-up!** "

" **Mercury Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Venus Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Mars Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Jupiter Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Saturn Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Uranus Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Neptune Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Pluto Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

" **Orion Eternal Power, Make-up!** "

Using the power of their transformation items, Serena, Kari, Suguha, Asuna, Ami, Mina, Raye, Lita, Hotaru, Amara, Michelle, Trista, and Shion transform into their Sailor Scout forms of Valkyrie Sailor Moon, Valkyrie Sailor Celestial, Valkyrie Sailor Sun, Valkyrie Sailor Star, and Eternal Sailors Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Orion, once more.

The group looks at the massive fiend, a Guardian Beast, and Keiko says, nervously, "It is huge."

Sailor Jupiter says, "Well, the bigger they are, the harder they far."

Paine says, with a nod, "We can agree on that."

Sailor Celestial says, seriously, "Watch it!" Some of the group barely avoid the claw strike of the Guardian Beast.

Sailor Venus says, excitedly, "Let me try something!" Sailor Venus then wraps her energy chains around the neck and wings of the Guardian Beast and gets on its back.

Sailor Mars screams out, "What do you think that you are doing Venus?!"

Sailor Uranus says, annoyed, "That would be Venus acting like her usual self." The Guardian Beast then starts to thrash and buck wildly as it tries to get Sailor Venus off its back.

Sailor Moon slaps herself on her helmet and she says, solemnly, "Venus…"

Matt tells TK, with a nervous smile, "Your girlfriend is something else."

TK asks, "Well, what I can say?'

Sailor Uranus says, "There is plenty that I can say about Venus-chan."

Sailor Neptune says, with a smile, "However, it isn't some things that can't be said especially around Firefly and Keiko-chan."

Sailor Uranus asks, annoyed, "Hey!" Soon enough, the Guardian Beast throws Sailor Venus off her back and slams into TK when he tries to catch her.

Matt asks TK, "Are you okay?"

TK says, with a grunt, "Just peachy."

Sailor Venus tells TK, with a sly grin, "My hero."

Paine shakes her head and Sailor Orion says, "Let's get to work." Immediately, the group starts to battle the Guardian Beast in which doesn't prove too difficult since the Guardian Beast seems to only attack with its claws and their numbers in which in no time at all, the Guardian Beast roars out as its body breaks apart before vanishing into hundreds of pyrefiles. When they are done, they get to the platform and find the half-sphere on it.

Rikku asks, shocked, "What? It is only half-a-sphere?"

Paine says, with a plain tone, "All that…for nothing."

Sailor Star says, "Well, we can take it with us."

Sailor Moon says, with a nod, "We might find its other half."

Kazuto says, nodding his head, "Maybe."

Yuna says, with a sigh, "I can't believe how much this place has changed."

Davis goes over and takes off the sphere causing the wall behind it to shake in which Yolei asks, "Now what?!"

Matt says, "Don't tell me that there was some kind of trap!" Just then the wall behind the platform starts to slide up and Matt says, nervously, "Or it could be a trigger to open up a secret room."

Sailor Orion says, "Cliché."

Sailor Uranus says, with a nod, "You said it, Orion."

Members of the group peak into the room and Sailor Venus asks, "See anything?"

Sailor Sun says, shaking her head, "Nothing."

Strea says, "You won't find anything if you don't go inside! Let's go!"

Kazuto yelps as Strea drags Kazuto into the room and he yells out, "Hey, Strea!" Immediately, the others follow Strea and Kazuto into the room and it looks to be in pure darkness.

Sailor Uranus says, plainly, "Be careful." Just then the room 'lights up' and a massive sphere in the ceiling is seen in the room.

Rikku asks, "Hold up! Doesn't that look familiar?"

Yuna says, amazed, "It looks like the giant sphere in Maester Seymour's home."

Rikku says, with a nod, "Yeah, it looks like it!"

Sailor Moon asks, curiously, "Giant sphere?"

Yuna says, "Maester Seymour had a massive sphere that shown Zanarkand before its destruction and showed Lady Yunalesca and her lover, Lord Zaon. It was created by the thoughts of those that wandered the Farplane."

Kotone asks, curiously, "The Farplane?"

Joe asks, nervously, "Isn't that the place where the souls have died are sent? Isn't that your world's 'spirit realm'?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes."

Rika says, nervously, "Okay, that's getting creepy." Just then there is a huge bright light that's coming from the sphere and the whole area starts to change into a familiar town.

Sailor Venus asks, "What's going on?"

Sailor Moon and the other SAO survivors of the group that were in trapped in SAO at the start recognize the area and Kazuto says, "No way!"

Sailor Star asks, shocked, "It can't be!"

Rika says, stunned, "You have got to be kidding me."

Matt says, shocked, "No way."

Mimi asks, curiously, "Is something wrong?"

Cody asks, "Do you recognize this place?"

Ken says, with a nod, "We do, Cody. We, unfortunately, do."

Rikku asks, curiously, "So, what is this place? And why do you seem like you are about to freak out?"

Sailor Moon says, shocked, "This is…the Town of Beginnings!"

There are a lot of gasps and Davis asks, surprised, "Are you sure?"

Tai tells Davis, with a nod, "We are really sure, Davis. There is no question in our minds."

Kazuto says, "We remember this place all too well."

Sailor Star asks, "But how can a 'video device' of another world have a recording of a virtual world from another universe in it?"

Sailor Mercury says, "That's a good question."

Sailor Neptune says, with a nod, "A very good question." As the group looked at the scene, they can't help to wonder about this.

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time), Spira, Celsius**_

On board the Celsius, our group from Earth, human and Digimon, is inside of the living quarters of the Celsius as they are looking at the massive sphere in front of them.

Keiko asks, "Why would this sphere have video of Aincrad?"

Asuna says, "I wish that I could explain why, Keiko-chan."

Lita asks, "Can we be sure that it is the same place?"

Yui says, with a nod, "It is."

Hinata asks Yui, "Are you sure, Yui-chan?"

Yui says, with a nod, "Yes. I don't know how, but data from SAO is inside of this device."

Strea says, with a nod, "Yep! Yep! I can 'sense' it too, Yui-chan!"

Naruto asks, confused, "How can you do that?"

Kazuto says, "It is probably because Yui and Strea were once a part of SAO, Naruto."

Naruto gives a confused look and Sakura says, "Yui and Strea are…At least, right now, were AI programs within SAO, remember? They were Mental Health Programs that were to help keep an eye on the player's mental health, but during the whole of SAO, they were denied the ability to help the players and only observe them. The contradictions in their programming and that command as well as the 'recording' of human emotions, mainly negative, cause them to gain errors and only by 'evolving' beyond their programming with Strea taking a player avatar to store her programming in were they were able to survive."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "That's right, Sakura."

Ami says, "And because Yui and Strea were once part of Cardinal System of SAO, they are able to 'sense' the data within the sphere."

Darien asks, "But the question still remains: How did data from SAO from Earth come to rest in this sphere in Spira?"

Izzy says, "That's a very good question."

Palmon says, "This is really confusing."

Gabumon says, "I'll say."

Wormmon asks, "Ken?"

Ken says, with a nod, "Yeah, Wormmon. We have a real mystery on our hands." The others can't help to nod their heads in agreement and all of them know that they have plenty of time to figure out this mystery.

 **The End…for now**

Well, our heroes and heroines have met two of the 'heroes' that went with Yuna and Rikku during first Final Fantasy X story. Personally, I'm fans of both Wakka and Lulu…Okay, I'm fans of all of the heroes and heroines of Final Fantasy X series not just Yuna, Rikku, and Tidus. Anyway, I hope that I got them right. Anyway, I hope that you like my surprise twist. What's going to happen next? You are going to have to wait, read, and see, everyone! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	16. Nebula's Star Story

As you well know, in this fanfiction series, Molly Baker, known as Naru in the original Japanese anime and manga, is a Sailor Scout known as Sailor Nebula, but other than a few tidbits of information, her origin story of how she became Sailor Nebula wasn't known completely…until now, folks. That's right! You are going to learn Molly Baker's origin as Sailor Nebula in the **Sailor Moon** Online timelines, so, enough said! Before I start this story, once again, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 16: Nebula's Star Story**

 **Note:** This story takes place during and after the FIRST Sailor Moon anime to around the start of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **Sometime in the mid to late 2020; Tokyo, Juuban District**_

It is middle of the day in Tokyo and, yet, the skies are dark…UNNATURALLY dark in which the skies are covered in a dark red and black 'hue' of color and in the center of this unnatural shade of color, we find ourselves within the Juuban District where there is black crystal 'structures' seemly coming out of the ground all over this district of Tokyo. In the middle of this, we find 14-year-old, Molly Baker, a regular teenage girl, is looking at the scene with wide-eyes.

Molly asks, "What is going on? Why is this happening?" Molly then hears an explosion and she runs to the source to see Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Tuxedo Mask fighting Wicked Lady, the corrupted adult form of Rini, Sailor Moon's and Tuxedo Mask's future daughter, in which she thinks, _"That's Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts! And that guy that helps them, Tuxedo Mask! Who is that they are fighting? She kind of looks like Serena, but with pink hair and red eyes…"_ She then looks at Sailor Moon and her eyes widen as she sees an image of her best friend, Serena Tsukino, interposed over Sailor Moon causing Molly to think in her mind, _"Wait! Serena?!"_ Just then Molly gasps as powerful images go through her mind and she roll her eyes into the back of her head as she falls into unconsciousness from the images bombarding her mind.

 _ **Sometime in the year of 2021; Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Inside of the Osaka-P jewelry store, we find a now, 15-year-old, high schooler Molly Baker, lying down in her bed within her bedroom and she is grunting and groaning as she is rolling in her bed due a 'dream' that she is having. In this dream, she is in the Moon Kingdom and she is dressed like a princess wearing an amber and silver version of Princess Serenity's dress in which she is looking down at the Inner Sailor Scouts, Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, with Princess Serenity in which Princess Serenity looks at her and waves. 'Molly' waves back and gives a light smile as she walks off causing Princess Serenity to give a saddened look as 'Molly' walks off. Later on, we see 'Molly' with Princess Serenity.

Princess Serenity asks 'Molly', "Theia, do you have to go?"

'Molly' responds, in a regal version of Molly's voice, "Serenity, you know my duties as Sailor Nebula is really important. I am the Sailor Scout that guards all star seeds including your own. Nebulas represent the cycle of the stars themselves."

Princess Serenity tells 'Molly', "I know, Theia, but I do miss you. We were really close as children."

'Molly' AKA Theia says, with a nod, "True, but duty is duty. You have your duty and I have my own. Your sister knows that better than everyone."

Princess Serenity says, with a sigh, "But of course."

Theia tells Princess Serenity, "You are worried about her, but Princess Selene is just fine. She was gifted with such great power for a reason."

Princess Serenity says, with a warm smile, "I know, Theia. With her birth and all, people are calling us 'miracle children' or stuff like that. Just because younger siblings of Lunarian royals don't usually survive childhood doesn't make us special."

Theia says, with a smile, "Well, younger siblings to the heiresses of the throne that survive childhood tend to go to do incredibly great things and they are remembered as legends. Your aunt…" Theia then stops talking and puts her hands on her mouth.

Princess Serenity says, with a warm smile, "It's okay, Theia. I never really knew my aunt, but my mother misses her so much. They were truly bonded as sisters and my aunt's husband was the best of friends with mother." Princess Serenity says, with a sigh, "I don't believe that she will ever overcome the pain and grief that it has caused her so."

Theia asks Princess Serenity, with a sly grin, "Anyway, about your brother?"

Princess Serenity says, with a giggle, "Oh, it is true. The Star Princess has really caught his heart." Princess Serenity says, with a sigh, "Through I don't know how, she is a 'stick in the mud'. She has to do her duty as the Sailor Scout of her kingdom and one of the guardian warriors of the Solaris royal family 'just because'. She has to marry other royals 'just because'. The girl is a great Sailor Senshi, a rival to any in the universe, and an excellent fencer, but she needs to learn do what she needs to do with her life not 'just because'."

Theia says, with a smirk, "Just like you do with your 'trysts' to Earth."

Princess Serenity gains a nervous look and she says, "Theia, I don't know what you are talking about!"

Theia tells Princess Serenity, with a sly smile, "Don't try to fool your childhood friend, Serenity. I know you better than that. He is really handsome, isn't he?'

Princess Serenity gains a major blush in her cheeks and she yells out, with an embarrassed tone, "Theia, cut it out!"

Just then a familiar female voice booms, "What's going on here?" Princess Serenity and Theia look to see the Inner Sailor Scouts coming over.

Sailor Jupiter asks, "Hey, Nebula, what are you doing here?"

Theia tells Sailor Jupiter, "Can't a girl catch up with her childhood friend, Jupiter? And by the way, I'm not in uniform currently."

Sailor Mars says, "Sorry, Lady Nebula, but her majesty over here is needed by her mother…NOW!"

Princess Serenity says, with a pout, "Yes! Yes! I'm coming!"

Theia tells Princess Serenity, "See you sometime, Serenity. I need to get going myself."

Princess Serenity says, with a sigh, "Duty calls for both of us."

Theia replies, with a nod, "Yes, it does. I'll try to get back." Theia tells the Inner Sailor Scouts, "Now, you had better take care of her or do you want a repeat of last time?"

The Inner Sailor Scouts give a yelp and Princess Serenity giggles in which she says, "That's your fault for underestimating her. Theia is the best spellcaster in the whole galaxy and she rivals Mercurians in intelligence."

Theia tells Princess Serenity, "Oh, stop, Serenity! I'm a smart girl, but I'm nowhere near Mercury's people!"

Princess Serenity says, with a grin, "I don't know, Theia."

Theia says, with a smile, "Hope to see you soon."

Princess Serenity says, with a warm smile, "Same here, Theia." Theia then takes off and Molly's dream then goes into another 'dream scene' where her 'princess self', Theia, is within the Moon Kingdom palace and looking on as Prince Endymon and the four generals that would be elite generals of Queen Beryl and the Negaverse, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, and Malachite, meets with Queen Serenity, Princess Serenity, and the four Inner Sailor Scouts in which Theia is watching from a distance where Nephrite looks at Theia causing her to blush as she walks away. Going to another 'scene', Sailor Jupiter and Theia are talking with Nephrite and they are smiling and giggling. But then the next scene, we find a lone Sailor Scout fighting against all four generals.

This Sailor Scout has wavy reddish-brown hair that's in a style similar to Sailor Venus' hairstyle with blue bow in the top center portion of the rear of her scalp, a rainbow five-pointed star on her forehead, blue eyes, deep, full, and lovely pink lips, she has a sailor fuku that has a blue sailor color, a silver bodysuit instead of white, there is prism-like circular broach with a rainbow jewel shaped like the rainbow star on her forehead at the center of the broach with the broach attached to the chest area of her fuku, silver version of the gloves that the Inner Sailor Scouts had with golden bands on the ends, a pink mini-skirt, and she has white versions of Sailor Venus' high-heeled shoes on her feet. In her hands, there is a specter similar in design to Dark Magician's specter expect that it is silver in color with a star-shaped orb attached to the top of the specter.

The Sailor Scout says in Theia's/Molly's voice, "Get back!" She fires a powerful blast from her specter that slams Zoisite into Malachite and knocks both of them into the ground.

Jadeite yells out, "You are going to pay for that once, bitch!" Jadeite attacks this Sailor Scout with black sword in which the Sailor Scout easily blocks with her specter, using it like a bo staff, in which she uses it to bash Jadeite on the left cheek as well as knocking him to the ground.

The Sailor Scout turns to Nephrite and she yells out, "How could you do this Nephrite? How could you betray your kingdom? Your prince? Jupiter? How could you betray me as well?!"

Nephrite shouts out, strongly, "Betray?! We have betrayed no one? Endymon betrayed his planet by siding with your princess, Nebula!"

The Sailor Scout responds, strongly, "You were his sworn knights and raised together from childhood! I call that a betrayal, Nephrite! All we wanted was peace with Earth and Earthlings! We never tried to do anything to rule over you!"

Nephrite shouts out, "Then explain the actions of the 'Ultimate Sailor Scout'!"

The Sailor Scout screams out, strongly, "That's not what she intended! She created Aincrad for unity and peace and it was taken away from her!"

Nephrite shouts out, "Enough, Sailor Nebula! I will not listen to your lies anymore!"

The Sailor Scout, Sailor Nebula, responds, "The only one that's lying is you and that's to yourself, Nephrite." Nephrite attacks with a dark energy blast, but Sailor Nebula creates an energy shield that absorbs the dark energy, turns the dark energy into light energy, and sends it back at him sending him flying into the ground, hard. Just then the whole of the area, if not the whole of the moon, itself is shaken by a massive explosion in which Sailor Nebula looks to see the Moon Kingdom getting demolished in which she shouts out, horrified, "No!" Sailor Nebula then sees the forms of Princess Serenity, Prince Endymon, and the Inner Sailor Scouts causing her to scream out in pure terror, "NO! SERENITY!" Sailor Nebula then shouts out in pain and agony as she is impaled in the back from behind by Jadeite and Malachite.

Jadeite says, with an evil smile, "Your precious kingdom has fallen."

Malachite says, with an evil grin, "The universe is ours."

Sailor Nebula grunt out as she struggles against the pain and she grunts out, with an angered pain snarl on her lips, "Not yet." Just then a silver and rainbow aura surrounds her and she says, "If my home is to…fall…then you will fall with it…and you will pay for your betrayal…in the next life…and beyond…I curse you…I curse you until the end of time for the betrayal of your prince and kingdom…and the whole solar system…you will pay forever!" Sailor Nebula scream out as she unleashes an incredible energy in which all four Negaverse generals scream out as the energy engulfs them all. Just then Molly wakes up in a cold sweat and she goes into a sitting position while putting her hand on her forehead.

Molly thinks in her mind, _"Another of those 'dreams'. No, they felt more like…like memories. Memories of a life that I had long ago. But I don't get how it can be?"_ Molly shakes her head and she thinks, _"Could it be linked to Serena and the other Scouts? Ever since that day that I figured out that Serena was Sailor Moon and those other girls were the Sailor Scouts…No, ever since I first saw Sailor Moon…I saw Serena as Sailor Moon, we started to grow more distant. Serena and I have been best friends since we were toddlers and ever since the other girls came into the picture, we have grown apart, but I really don't feel jealous or anything. It felt…right that Serena and the other Sailor Scouts come together. And…And I felt that if I stayed with Serena, I would be putting her, the other Sailor Scouts, and her boyfriend, who must be Tuxedo Mask, in great danger, but I don't get why I would feel that way. I'm feel that I should reconnect with her, but it isn't time yet."_ Molly looks at her hand and she thinks, _"What was the meaning of those dreams? A kingdom on the moon? And that princess…she looked a lot like Serena! And that prince looked like Serena's boyfriend…Darien, I think that his name is. And then I saw Nephrite! Oh, Nephrite! I know that you were with the bad guys…the enemies of Serena, the Scouts, and Tuxedo Mask, but I think that you were good deep down. Nephrite looked like that he was the guardian of that prince, but he thought that prince betrayed them by being with that princess that looked like Serena! What does these images mean? Since I know that Serena is Sailor Moon and her friends are the Sailor Scouts with Serena's boyfriend being Tuxedo Mask, should I talk it over with them? I just…I just don't know what to do."_

( **Later that same day; Elsewhere** )

Within another part of Juuban, there is a brown cat with large blue eyes and a rainbow-colored star on top of their forehead in which the cat looks up into the skies like they sense something.

The cat then says, in a female voice, "I see. There was a reason that I'm here after Princess Serenity and the others freed Galaxia from the evil possessing her body. The battle has caused my charge to awaken." The cat says, with a sigh, "We had hoped that certain Sailor Scouts could live their lives in peace forever, but it doesn't look like the case for my charge. It seems like she is needed once more." The cat, seemly similar to guardian felines of the Sailor Scouts, Luna and Artemis, then takes off into distance to find whoever is her 'charge' is.

 _ **Sometime in the year of 2021; Tokyo, Juuban District**_

In the streets of Juuban, Molly is walking the streets and she is walking the streets until she looks to see Cherry Hill Temple.

Molly thinks in her mind, confused, _"How did I end up here?"_ Molly shakes her head and she thinks in her mind, _"I must be really out of it. These 'dreams' are really getting to me. I can't tell what's real and what's not anymore."_ Molly looks up at Cherry Hill Temple and starts to move to head up the stairs to the temple proper, but she stops herself and walks off, however, she is being watched by the same brown cat with the rainbow-colored star on the top of her forehead in which the feline narrows her eyes at Molly.

( **Elsewhere in Juuban; on the meanwhile** )

Within another area of Juuban, we see a young man with slick black hair and blue eyes in which he is wearing casual clothing is walking down the streets and he decides to go down an alleyway not knowing that someone or something is watching him. He then stops in front of a door and looks at his smartphone in which he doesn't know that some kind of pink goop is coming through the cracks of the door. The young man then senses something off and turns only to get covered in the pink goop so fast that he doesn't have time to scream. When he is covered in a cocoon of the pink goop, the door opens and the cocoon is dragged inside where the door slammed behind it in which the young man wasn't there at all.

( **Sometime later; Within another part of the district** )

Going into another area of Juuban, we find a young woman with mid-waist brown hair, violet eyes, and wearing casual clothing tapping her foot against the ground as she looks at her smartphone's clock.

The young woman asks, "Where is he?"

A male voice responds, "Are you waiting for someone?" The young woman turns and gasps to see the young man that we had seen been taken earlier by the 'pink goop', but now, he is just wearing a black open jacket showing his perfectly male muscular jacket, tight fitting blue jeans, and pitch-black running sneakers that the best athletic runners would be using.

The young woman asks, shocked, "Tarkuo?! Is that you?!"

The young man responds, with a sly smirk, "Who else would it be Meina-chan?"

The young woman asks, amazed, "Wow! Tarkuo? What…What happened to you?"

The young man, Tarkuo, responds, with a grin, "What? A guy can't get serious about his health and exercise to get ripped without having be a national event or something? Geez!" Tarkuo tells the young woman, who gets flustered with him near her, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall I make it up to you, Meina-chan?"

The young woman, Meina, responds, blushing nervously, "S-Sure, y-you better!" Meina then becomes aroused when Tarkuo cups her chin and she can't help to wonder why she is feeling this way, but as she glazes into Tarkuo's eyes, she can't help to forget with any questions about his current 'condition' going out the window.

Tarkuo tells Meina, with a smirk, "Then follow me, Meina-chan. I'll take you on the best day of your life." Tarkuo gently wraps his arm around Meina causing her to flush wildly as she gets really excited and the two of them walk off with everyone else just thinking that it is normal young couple out on a date, but no one, not even Meina, notices the pink-red glow in Tarkuo's eyes.

( **That evening; Elsewhere** )

In the evening hours, we find ourselves within one of Japan's various love hotels where we find Tarkuo escorting out Meina, but Meina looks quite different in which she, now, has pink eyeshadow and deep, full, and gorgeous shimmering pink colored lips, and she is wearing just a black sports bra-like top with a black open-jacket, tight fitting blue jeans with matching black belt, and black high-heeled shoes in which she shows a very gorgeous and curvaceous female body shape much like a female model with the black sport bra-like top bearing holding back her G-cup chest. The two of them are in the hallways and locked in a deep and passionate lewd kiss.

When they break off the kiss, Tarkuo tells Meina, with a sly smirk, "You were great last night, Meina-chan."

Meina responds, with a seductive loving tone, "You were just…awesome, Master Tarkuo-kun."

Tarkuo tells Meina, with a grin, "Now, you know what to do?"

Meina responds, in an obedient tone, "Yes, I must use my body to gather energy."

Tarkuo cups Meina's chin and he tells her, with a sly smile, "That's right, Meina-chan. Then you come back to me, so, I can 'extract' it from you so I can give it to our mistress."

Meina replies, with a submissive loving tone, "Yes, Master Tarkuo-kun."

Tarkuo says, with a sly smile, "Then what are you waiting for my little wench? Hop to it!"

Meina says, with a nod, "I obey, Master Tarkuo-kun."

Tarkuo tells Meina, "And also 'convince' plenty of other girls to join you."

Meina responds, with a seductive sly smile, "With pleasure, Master Tarkuo-kun." Meina then starts to walk off with Tarkuo playfully slapping her rear end causing her to giggle as she walks away with a highly suggestive sway in her rear end.

Just then a dark female voice booms in Tarkuo, slyly, **"You have done well, my slave. Return to me with the energy that you have taken."**

Tarkuo replies, lowly, "Yes, mistress. I obey." Tarkuo then walks off in which he vanishes in a 'dark portal' that appears in front and vanishes as quickly as it appeared in front of him.

 _ **Sometime in the year of 2021; Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Today in Juuban, we are in front of the Crown Center Arcade where Molly Baker is looking around and walking away.

Molly thinks in her mind, _"Why do I keep doing this to myself? These 'dreams' have put me on edge and I can't see right sometimes now. Since these dreams have to do with Serena and the Sailor Scouts, I should go to them, but something inside of me keep holding me back…out of…out of some kind of fear of putting them in danger. But why would I put the Sailor Scouts in danger? And why do I dream about a princess that looks like Serena and the Sailor Scouts in a kingdom that looks like that it is on the moon? Why did I dream that I…?"_ Molly then shakes her head and she walks off into the distance in which she has a haggard look on her face. What she doesn't know is that mysterious brown cat with the rainbow star on her forehead is still following her.

As Molly continues to walk along, she hears a sultry female voice says, "Hey, girl, you seem lost." Molly gives a look of surprise and she looks to see Meina looking at her from an alleyway.

Molly asks, a bit nervous due to Meina's look, "Do I?"

Meina tells Molly, with a friendly smile, "Easy, I don't bite." Meina seductively walks up to Molly and Molly can't help to flinch from the suggestive way that Meina is walking and looks due to her choice of attire.

Molly asks, "May I help you?"

Meina responds, "I was just wondering if I could help you, girl."

Molly asks, surprised, "Help me?"

Meina tells Molly, "Yeah. And you look like you need it. Have you seen yourself?"

Molly takes out a small mirror from her purse slung around her left shoulder and she says, looking at herself through the mirror inside of a compact, "I guess that I do look like a mess."

Meina says, "That's an understatement."

Molly says, "I've been going through a lot that's all."

Meina asks, with a sly smile, "Let me guess: You had a bit of a tiff with your boyfriend and you had a bad break up, huh?"

Molly replies, nervously, "N-No!"

Meina tells Molly, with a grin, "You aren't really convincing."

Molly thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Well, she isn't off by too much. With these dreams, I've been putting off Melvin-kun a lot lately. I hope he doesn't feel that I hate him or something."_

Meina says, with a sly smile, "Your face says it all."

Molly replies, nervously, "No! No! It is just…I've been through a lot lately and I've been…putting him off lately. What I've been through is on my mind and I can't seem to talk it with anyone. Personally, I don't know what to do."

Meina says, with a sly smirk, "Well, I've got a solution for you."

Molly asks, curiously, "You do?"

Meina tells Molly, "Why do you come with me?"

Molly says, a bit nervously, "Um, I think that I'll be okay. I just need to clear my head."

Meina grabs Molly by the arm and she says, with a wicked grin, "Oh, it is going to clear your head, girlfriend."

Molly says, nervously, "Wait! Please let me go!"

Meina tells Molly, with her eyes glowing, "Easy, girl. Everything is going to be just fine." Just then Molly's eyes go blank and her body starts to relax in which she starts to go limp in which Meina tells Molly, in a hypnotic tone of voice, "Why not come with me and ease those trouble away?"

Molly responds, her voice showing an entranced tone of voice, "Yes…" Just then Molly's forehead glows and she snaps back to her senses in which she shakes her head causing her to wrench her arm out of Meina's grip causing her to shout out, "What do you think you were trying to do?"

Meina asks, confused, "Huh?"

Molly says, "You were doing something to me!"

Meina asks, her eyes glowing, "Why don't you see and find out?"

Molly shouts out, closing her eyes, "No!" Meina then grabs Molly by the arms and she flings her into the alleyways. Meina then tackles Molly to the wall and Molly struggles to get away, but Meina seems to have incredible super-human strength. Molly yells out, "Let me go!"

Meina tells Molly, with a wicked smile, "Can't have you telling anyone else about me. And besides, you look really tasty." Molly struggles to get away, but she can't break Meina's grip.

Molly says, "Let me go!"

Meina tells Molly, with a sly grin, "Don't worry, it will be over soon." Meina then forces her lips onto Molly's lips and her eyes widen especially when she feels her energy start to be taken away. Molly struggles to get away, but Meina's super-strong grip ensures that Molly remains trapped as she feels her energy getting drained her.

Molly thinks in her mind, _"I'm getting…so weak…my head is getting fuzzy…so woozy…somebody…anybody…help…Melvin…Serena…!"_ But then Molly's forehead glows and she unleashes a powerful burst of energy causing Meina to scream as she is thrown off Molly in which Molly slumps down on the ground.

Meina snarls as she shakes her head, regains her senses, and she says, standing up with a dark aura, "What the heck are you? You aren't any ordinary girl!" Meina bares down on Molly as she struggle to get to her senses and focus.

Just then a female voice shouts out, "You get away from her!" Meina turns to the source of the voice only to yelp as the cat that's being following Molly leaps up on Meina's face and scratches her right cheek in which the cat leaps over to Molly.

Molly asks, confused, "What?"

The cat tells Molly, in the female voice just heard, "You must get up!"

Molly asks, surprised, "W-What?!"

The cat tells Molly, "I don't have time to explain!" The cat then goes a backflip and creates a prism-like heart-shaped broach with rainbow star in it and four rainbow colored wings coming out of it. The cat then tells Molly, "Take it, hurry!"

Molly asks, "Hold on! What's going on here?"

The cat responds, "I don't have time to explain!" The cat then yelps as she is grabbed by the back by Meina in which the scratch on her face heals.

Meina says, "You rotten alley cat! You are going to pay for damaging my beautiful face!"

As Meina prepares to bash the cat with a super-strength punch, Molly shouts out, concerned, "No!" Molly then grabs the broach and there is a bright flash of light that erupts forcing Meina to cover her eyes.

When the flash starts to fade away, Meina shouts out, confused, "What the heck?!" When Meina is able to see, she gasps to see a new Sailor Scout in front of her!

This new Sailor Scout has wavy reddish-brown hair that's in a style similar to Sailor Venus' hairstyle with blue bow in the top center portion of the rare of her scalp, she has two sets of three rainbow feathers on the forward portion of her scalp, a rainbow five-pointed star on her forehead, blue eyes, deep, full, and lovely pink lips, she has a sailor fuku that has a blue sailor color, a silver bodysuit instead of white with the broach that the cat had just given Molly in the chest area of the bodysuit, white shoulder pads, silver colored gloves of similar design to Eternal Sailor Moon's gloves, she has pink, red, and blue skirt with a rainbow star on the top center portion of her skirt, she has white versions of Sailor Venus' high-heeled shoes on her feet, and she has got two pairs of rainbow wings coming out of her back.

The cat thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"Yes!"_

Meina asks, "Who the heck are you?"

The new Sailor Scout says in Molly's voice, "My name is Eternal Sailor Nebula, the guardian and protector of the stars and all star seeds! Let her go now!" The new Sailor Scout, Sailor Nebula, then unleashes a freezing wave in which Meina's arms and legs are frozen solid in which the shock causes her to drop the cat.

But then a male voice booms, "Get away from her!" Sailor Nebula and barely dodges an energy blast from Tarkuo in which he frees Meina before taking off into the distance.

When they are gone, Sailor Nebula looks over herself and she says, looking her hands, "I…I can't believe it! I'm…I'm a Sailor Scout!"

The cat tells Sailor Nebula, "Sailor Nebula, I know that this is hard to take in right now! But you need to go after them!" Sailor Nebula looks at the cat in surprise, but she then holds her head in pain as her mind is bombard by images and memories causing her to fall to her knees. The cat thinks in her mind, with a sigh, _"I was afraid of this! It is going to take her a while to get herself together."_

( **Sometime soon afterwards; Elsewhere** )

Heading onto the top of the skyscrapers of Juuban, the newest Sailor Scout, Sailor Nebula, is looking out into the distance as the mysterious talking feline, calling herself Aurora, walks over to her side.

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "Nebula, are you okay now?"

Sailor Nebula says, with a nod, "Yeah. My head is together…I think."

Aurora says, "We need your head to be together, Nebula. Those two were corrupted and being controlled by a youma."

Sailor Nebula says, "I kind of suspected that when my energy is being drained."

Aurora says, with a nod, "Indeed."

Sailor Nebula asks, "Are you sure that I shouldn't go to Serena and the others and told them I've awakened? Couldn't Sailor Pluto…?"

Just then Sailor Nebula stops and Aurora says, with a nod, "You know why Sailor Pluto didn't know who you were reincarnated into and for good reason. You are very important to all Sailor Scouts in the universe, not just the ones in our solar system. It is a good thing that you didn't awaken during our princess' and the others' battles with Sailor Galaxia while she was possessed by Chaos or we would have been in big trouble."

Sailor Nebula says, "I rather not think about that Aurora."

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "Anyway, for the moment, it is for the best that they don't know. I suspect that there are 'other forces' in play."

Sailor Nebula asks, curiously, "Other forces?"

Aurora says, with a sigh, "I can't say for certain, Nebula. For now, let us focus on those two. As I have said, those two have been corrupted and under the control of a youma. We need to find them before they cause more havoc and chaos!"

Sailor Nebula says, "But I don't know where to begin!"

Aurora says, looking in one direction, "But I may." When Sailor Nebula looks where Aurora is looking, she sees someone dressed similar to Meina and draining the energy from a young teenage girl in their late teens before sending 'dark energy' that corrupts her. Sailor Nebula then prepares to intervein, but Aurora leaps onto her shoulder and Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "Easy, Nebula. I know that you want to save her, but she may be the key to leading us to the source. To stop a bleeding wound, you need to take care of it at the source."

Sailor Nebula says, "I know…"

Aurora says, interrupting, "It is your instinct as a Sailor Senshi to help and protect others. It is because you care about life. However, you need to master that instinct with intelligence." Sailor Nebula sighs and gives a nod in which she looks at the scene as the recently enslaved teenage girl is being led away.

( **Sometime later; Within another part of Juuban** )

Within the area that Tarkuo was first taken, he and Meina are kneeling in front of a dark figure inside of a warehouse.

The dark figure says, in a deep female voice, **"What?! A new Sailor Scout has appeared?"**

Meina says, with a nod, "Yes, mistress. She calls herself Sailor Nebula."

The dark figure responds, surprised, **"Sailor Nebula?"**

Just then a familiar female voice asks, "You called?" The dark figure, Tarkuo, and Meina turn to see Sailor Nebula walk out of the shadows.

Tarkuo yells out, "How in the heck did you find this place?"

Sailor Nebula responds, with an annoyed expression, "Your 'little friends' couldn't see beyond their skirts." Sailor Nebula thinks in her mind, a bit nervously, _"I hope that I'm talking tough enough, but I sure don't feel that way. I wonder if this is how Serena felt when she first battled as Sailor Moon and saved my mom and I from that youma."_

Meina yells out, annoyed, "I knew that they were worthless cunts!"

Tarkuo tells Meina, "Now isn't the time, Meina-chan!"

The dark figure says, **"Indeed."** The dark figure then reveals herself to be a lamia type creature with ruby red skin and long dark violet snake's tail as her 'lower body' in which her face has long black hair, serpentine yellow eyes with matching slits, and dark ruby red lips.

Sailor Nebula asks, confused, "A lamia?!"

The dark figure responds, **"I'm not surprised that you were expecting another type of 'monster', my dear. Yes, I'm Charmviz, a lamia type youma. I'm sure with the way that my slaves were gathering energy, you were expecting something more of 'lust oni'."**

Sailor Nebula says, a bit nervously, "Yeah, I was." But then she yelps out as she is entrapped by what looks like violet snake's tail in which she grunts out, "What? Wait! But how?" Sailor Nebula then looks to see Charmviz's tail extending into the ground.

Charmviz says, with an evil smile, **"You underestimated your opponent, my dear. Bad move for a warrior."** Sailor Nebula yelps as she is being crushed by Charmviz's tail.

Aurora, who is nearby, shouts out, worriedly, "Nebula!"

Charmviz says, with an evil smile, **"You must be a newbie! The other Sailor Scouts wouldn't have been caught so easily after all of their battles!"** Charmviz licks her lips and she says, with an evil smile, **"Anyway, you will make a good meal!"**

Sailor Nebula asks, fearfully, "Meal?!"

Charmviz says, with an evil smile, **"Oh, yes. I will swallow you whole and my masters will be excited to know that I nipped a potential problem in the butt with killing a newly 'born' Sailor Scout! It is time to feast!"** Sailor Nebula yelps out in fear as Charmviz yanks Sailor Nebula towards her and she is showing a fang-filled mouth causing Sailor Nebula to yelp in fear in which she struggles to break free, but like Charmviz's lower half suggests, Charmviz's grip is like a python's grip and Sailor Nebula can't break free at all.

Sailor Nebula shouts out, "Aurora, what do I do?! Aurora!" Just then Aurora leaps onto Charmviz's face and scratches her face causing her to yell out in pain.

Charmviz yells out, angrily, **"Worthless feline!"** Charmviz violently bats Aurora off her face and shows her fangs in which she bends down towards Aurora.

Sailor Nebula yells out, worriedly, "Aurora!" Sailor Nebula then gets a determined look as she glows red before erupting in flames and vaporizing the end of Charmviz's tail causing her to scream out in extreme pain and agony.

Meina and Tarkuo shout out in unison, shocked, "Mistress Charmviz-sama!" Sailor Nebula goes over to Aurora, grabs her, and leaps back away from Charmviz with the young couple that she enslaved.

Sailor Nebula asks Aurora, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Aurora grunts out in reply, "Just fine. You need to hurry, Nebula." Sailor Nebula turns to see Charmviz screaming out in pain while looking at the charred remains of the end of her tail.

Charmviz yells out, angrily, **"You wretched brat! You are going to pay for this!"**

Tarkuo and Meina gain powerful dark aura and Tarkuo shouts out, in a dark angered tone, "You are going to pay for hurting Mistress Charmviz-sama!"

Sailor Nebula yelps out nervously and she asks, a bit nervously, "Now what?"

Aurora says, "That's up to you, Nebula. You have the power and you can do this." Sailor Nebula looks at Aurora and she looks at the situation before her.

Sailor Nebula thinks in her mind, _"Could this be how Serena felt…when she battled as Sailor Moon for the first time? How does she do it? How can she fight such things and remain the way that she is?"_ Just then the 'images' from the 'dreams' come back to her mind and she thinks in her mind, _"No, I can't think that way! I am a Sailor Scout! Queen Serenity would have wanted me to remain a normal girl just like Serena and the others, but when they were needed, they accepted their 'heritage' and powers for all that they love and all that they care about. It seems like fate has caused the same thing to happen to Serena and I like it did our past in the Silver Millennium, but while we have grown apart due to our 'destinies', we are forever united by our bonds, past and present. For everything and everyone that I love, I need to fight because I am needed to fight!"_ Sailor Nebula's eyes narrow and she summons the staff that she wielded in the 'dreams'

Meina shouts out, "Think you are a big shot? Think again!" Meina charges at Sailor Nebula, but when Meina gets close, Sailor Nebula uses her specter like a bo staff and quickly and easily, Sailor Nebula knocks Meina into unconsciousness.

Tarkuo shouts out, shocked, "Meina-chan!" Tarkuo gains a powerful 'dark aura' and he roars out, angrily, "You are going to pay for that one wench!" Tarkuo charges in and attacks Sailor Nebula, but like with Meina, Sailor Nebula knocks him into unconsciousness as well.

Sailor Nebula says, with a sigh, "Sorry. I hope that you aren't really hurt."

Charmviz screams out, angrily, **"Sailor Wench! I won't be defeated as easily as my minions!"** Charmviz then unleashes a powerful dark beam from her mouth and Sailor Nebula manages to react and create a shield that blocks Charmviz's attack, but the sheer force of the attack sends Sailor Nebula skidding backwards as she struggles to hold back the attack. For several moments, the battle seesaws between them until Sailor Nebula gives a yell in which she gives a swing of her specter causing Charmviz's attack to be negated causing the lamia to shout out, in disbelief, "Impossible!"

Sailor Nebula says, "It's over, youma!"

" **Nebula Elemental Storm!** "

Sailor Nebula creates a powerful storm that slams Charmviz with all sorts of elemental attacks, fire, wind, water, lightning, and so on, causing scream in agony and pain before she is vaporized.

Aurora shouts out, excitedly, "You did it, Nebula!" But then 'dark energy' seems to be coming from the unconscious Meina and Tarkuo before it turns into a dark sphere and shoots off into the distance.

Sailor Nebula asks, confused, "What the heck was that?"

Aurora says, "I'm not sure, Nebula."

Sailor Nebula then falls down to the ground on her bottom and she says, wiping a bead of sweat off her, "Wow! I'm beat!"

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, with a smile, "You have done well for your first battle in centuries. I am very proud of you."

Sailor Nebula says, "Thanks. Now, I know how Serena felt when she started out as Sailor Moon." Sailor Nebula then falls to the ground in exhaustion and can't help to wonder what that 'dark energy' leaving Charmviz's first two victims was about.

 _ **Sometime in the year of 2021; Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Looking over Cherry Hill Temple, Sailor Nebula is sitting on top of the skyscrapers looking down at the temple with Aurora coming up to sit by her.

Aurora asks, "Are you sure?"

Sailor Nebula says, with a nod, "It is for the best. It hasn't been too long since Galaxia and they deserve a rest. And this evil is 'below the surface', so, they need to be investigated before anything can be done."

Aurora says, with a nod of her head, "Indeed."

Sailor Nebula is silent for a moment and Sailor Nebula says, with a sigh, "History has a funny way of repeating itself."

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "She has her duties and you have yours, Nebula."

Sailor Nebula says, with a sigh, "Doesn't mean that we like it."

Aurora says, "It is understandable since you were childhood friends in two lifetimes."

Sailor Nebula says, with a sigh, "However, after what Serena and the others went through, they deserve a break. They fought hard and now, it is my turn to 'step up'."

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "I am proud of you, Nebula."

Sailor Nebula says, concerned, "However, if Sailor Scouts like me are starting to 'awaken', I have a bad feeling."

Aurora says, with a nod, "So do I, Nebula. So, do I."

Sailor Nebula gets to her feet and she says, lowly, "Stay safe, Serena." Sailor Nebula takes Aurora into her hands and flies into the sky in which, at that moment, we find that Serena is with Darien as they head into Cherry Hill Temple, but then Serena looks up in the direction that Sailor Nebula left in.

Darien asks, curiously, "Is something wrong Meatball Head?"

Serena says, confused, "I don't know, Darien-kun. I just got this weird feeling."

Darien asks, curiously, "Weird feeling?"

Serena says, "It felt like someone was watching over me." Darien looks up in the same direction, but doesn't see anyone.

Darien says, "You must have been imagining it, Serena. I'm not surprised that you are on edge. You just defeated Chaos after all."

Serena says, curiously, "I guess that you are right, Darien-kun." Serena and Darien then continue onto the temple while Serena can't help to retain that feeling through it wasn't a 'negative feeling'.

 _ **November 2022, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Inside of one of the hospitals with the Juuban District, we are inside of a guarded room inside of the hospital where Serena Tsukino AKA Sailor Moon lies 'comatose' in a hospital bed with a NervGear attached to her head. Assembled by her bedside is her family, Kenji Tsukino, Serena's father, Ikuko Tsukino, Serena's mother, and Sammy Tsukino, Serena's younger brother, Darien, and the rest of the Sailor Scouts. Looking towards the window of Serena's hospital room from a building opposite of the hospital, Sailor Nebula has a solemn look on her face looking at Serena's motionless form.

Sailor Nebula thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Serena…"_ Just then images of Princess Serenity crying come to her mind and Sailor Nebula's right hand tightens into a fist in which a look that's never seen on Sailor Nebula's/Molly Baker's kind and gentle face is seen before: A look of pure anger and rage. In an angered 'huff', Sailor Nebula turns back down on the roof and prepares to take off while Aurora leaps onto her shoulder.

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "Where do you think you are going?'

Sailor Nebula responds, in a blunt tone that's not like her, "Where do you think Aurora?"

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "Going off in a blind rage isn't going to help her majesty, Nebula!"

Sailor Nebula yells out, angrily, "What do you expect me to do? Do nothing while my childhood friend in two lifetimes suffers again from his madness?!"

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "You are angry, and you have a right to be angry, but flying mindlessly in a rage won't help her at all!"

Sailor Nebula says, with tears in her eyes, "I know that, but I've got to do…something! I should have known! I should have known the instant that the beta was announced!"

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "Nebula, we couldn't have realized HE could have been reborn as her uncle in this life!"

Sailor Nebula says, "The signs were there!"

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "The princess is strong, Nebula. She won't just die there."

Sailor Nebula says, solemnly, "I know. Serena has become strong, but it doesn't mean that she will be able to survive that prison for long. Who knows what else he has done to the game? We need to find him and stop…!"

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "Do you think that HE will even come close to stopping even if we find him?'

Sailor Nebula is silent for a few moments and she says, solemnly, "No."

Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "And you can feel it, can't you?"

Sailor Nebula says, looking up in the sky, "The 'forces of darkness' can sense that Serena is unable to help the world. They are going to get 'inspired' to attack."

Aurora says, "We need to help keep them in check, Nebula. Prince Endymon and the others aren't going to be able to hold them back."

Sailor Nebula says, solemnly, "You're right, Aurora." Sailor Nebula asks, "But why? Why would HE do this to her again?"

Aurora says, "I fear that we already know that answer."

Sailor Nebula gasps and she asks, nervously, "You mean…?"

Aurora says, "It can be the biggest reason."

Sailor Nebula says, solemnly, "Why am I not surprised? After HE stole the original Aincrad during the Silver Millennium, he has, once again, turned a symbol of hope into a 'sigil of death' once again. It shouldn't come to be a surprise that HE wants HER power 'back in play'."

Aurora says, "And he may have succeeded." Sailor Nebula looks at Aurora in surprise and Aurora tells Sailor Nebula, "You can feel it in the air. HER return is coming. The return of the most powerful Sailor Scout that history has ever known."

Sailor Nebula says, with a sigh, "Queen Serenity-dono hoped that at least one of her children could lead a regular life."

Aurora says, "I know, Nebula. However, we need to be ready to assist and prepare for her return whenever it could be. We also need to help keep the world safe, so our princess has a world and friends to return to."

Sailor Nebula says, with a nod, "Right." Sailor Nebula takes Aurora into her arms and she takes off into the distance and back inside of Serena's hospital room, Trista then looks out the window with a curious look on her face.

Hotaru sees this and she asks, "Is something wrong?"

Trista looks at Hotaru and she responds, with a kind smile, "No, Firefly. Nothing at all." But when Trista looks back at the window, Hotaru can't be sure that Trista isn't keeping something from her, but Hotaru decides not to press the issue for the moment.

 _ **November 2022, Tokyo**_

Sailor Nebula is flying through the air and she is flying through the Saitama prefecture in which as she does so, she flies by and above a young 13-year-old teen girl by the name of Suguha Kirigaya, whose brother/cousin, Kazuto Kirigaya, like Serena, is trapped in SAO, in which she gets a 'feeling' causing her to look up in Sailor Nebula's direction, but due to Sailor Nebula flying above the clouds, Suguha doesn't seen Sailor Nebula as she flies by. But as we look at Suguha, her shadow is showing the silhouette of an Eternal Sailor Scout…

 **The End…of the story, but the adventure has just begun…**

And that's the origin story of Molly Baker as Sailor Nebula in the **Sailor Moon Online** universe, everyone. So, what do you think? Personally, based on how innocent Molly was, I figured that her first time as Sailor Nebula would be similar to how Serena's first time as Sailor Moon would be. I hope that you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. Tell me what you think, but no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	17. A New Factor

I know that it has been months since I have update this series and it is a long story. To shorten in up, I had a different idea than what I'm posting now. However, as I went into 'deeper thought' on the idea, there were plenty of 'plot holes' in it, so, I had to scrap the idea and I became focused on other stories like **Alternating Scale** among other things as well as the fact, I wasn't able to come up with a replacement idea. Until I saw playthroughs of a new mobile game known as **Sword Art Online: Integral Factor** which inspired this idea. Hopefully, it was worth the wait. Now, before I start, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate,** **Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars,** **Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 17: A New Factor**

 **Note:** This story takes place after the second arc of **SAO Shippuden** , but before **Alternating Scales** and **Arc III** of **SAO Shippuden**.

 _ **March 2026, ALO, Somewhere in-between the Sylph and Salamander territories**_

In the virtual skies of Alfheim Online, ALO for short, we find a familiar blond-haired, green eyed female Sylph player known as Leafa, who IRL is known as Suguha Kirigaya or Sailor Celestial is flying through the virtual skies in her usual manner, but she then hears fighting going on in which she looks down to see two Salamander players ganging up on someone that looks like a rookie player due to their gear looking like that used by a newbie or rookie player.

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, _"Leave it to a pair of Salamanders to pick on a new player."_ Leafa then draws her sword and dives down at top speed at the Salamander players who are attacking the newbie player in which he looks like he is on his 'last legs' in HP.

One of the Salamander players shout out, tauntingly, "You aren't too bad! But you aren't good enough!"

Leafa then booms out, "Then how about you take me on?!" The Salamander players give looks of surprise and turn around only for Leafa to come in hard with a powerful **Horizontal** , 1-hit One-Handed Sword Skill, in which due to her speed with her dive and hitting a 'critical hit', the Salamander player that Leafa strikes turns into a red Remain Light immediately.

The other Salamander player says, shocked, "Shit!"

Leafa says, "You, guys, have some nerve! Picking on a newbie player like that!"

The remaining Salamander player says, "Isn't our fault that this guy wandered far away from his home turf? We're just helping him get back to where he belongs!" The Salamander player attacks Leafa and she fights back against him in which it isn't an easy fight, but Leafa held the advantage in which she finally strikes home with a combination of a spell to distract him with finishing him off with One-Handed Sword Skill causing him to yelp as he is turned into a Remain Light.

Leafa says, with a glare, "Maybe that you will teach you a lesson on picking on new players, jerk!"

Just then a male voice asks, in an amazed and excited tone, "Leafa?!" Leafa turns to the source of the voice to see the male player that they were attacking going over to her and Leafa gets a good look at him.

The male player looks to be Gnome with short spiky brown hair, brown-orange eyes, and wearing clothing and gear that's not entry-level, but it isn't for 'mid-to-elite level' players.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"What the?! A Gnome? What's he is doing here and with that kind of equipment? And…why am I getting a feeling of déjà vu?"_ Leafa then says, in a scolding tone, "Hey, pal, what's a guy like you doing around here…?!"

However, the Gnome player says, interrupting, "Leafa, it's me!"

Leafa realizes that this new player was the one that called out to her earlier and Leafa asks, curiously, "Do I know you?"

The Gnome player tells Leafa, "Leafa, it's me. Terra!"

Leafa asks, curiously, "Terra?"

The Gnome player tells Leafa, "Come on, Leafa, we met on the third floor."

Leafa asks, confused, "Third floor?" Leafa says, with a plain tone, "Look, pal, you must be confusing me with someone else. I never met a Gnome player like you before."

The Gnome player, Terra, responds, "Gnome?"

Leafa rolls her eyes and she says, "Yes, Gnome. It is what you are here. Didn't you read the instructions when you got the game? Geez, I know people that start up the game before getting the instructions…But really, come on!" Leafa then brings up her menu with her left hand causing Terra's eyes to widen and Leafa then sees him do it with his left hand.

Terra whispers to himself, "That's why it didn't work before…"

Leafa says, with an exasperated sigh, "At least, you seem to know how that works. I guess that you had your Amusphere for a while and have played another VRMMO at least before coming here."

Terra asks, surprised, "Amusphere?"

Leafa responds, curiously, "Yeah, Amusphere. The thing that you are using to dive into this virtual world. Geez, have you been living under a virtual rock or something?" Leafa says, shaking her head, "Look, did something happen to you when you dived into ALO? You…"

Terra asks, surprised, "Wait! ALO?"

Leafa replies, exasperated, "Yeah, ALO! Alfheim Online? The name of this VRMMO…this world that you are in!"

Terra says, looking up with confusion in his voice, "But…!" Leafa then looks up at what Terra is staring at and she notices that Terra is looking at New Aincrad that's floating in the skies.

Leafa says, "Oh, that's Aincrad. It was created based on the original caste from SAO…" Just then Leafa gains a bit of realization when he looks into the eyes of Terra, with his widening eyes, and quickly realizes that Terra KNOWS Aincrad. Not the one, here, in ALO that's a re-made 'duplicate' of the scene of the 'death game', but the one that was at the core of the infamous death game that her brother and a good chunk of her current friends were trapped in for two years. Leafa asks, surprised, "Wait! Are you an SAO survivor?"

Terra asks, surprised, "SAO…survivor?"

Terra gives a confused look and Leafa looks at him in which she thinks, _"Oh, boy. This Terra guy must be a survivor of SAO. I can tell. He KNOWS about Aincrad. I've seen that same look in other survivor's eyes even in a bit of big brother's, sis', and the other's eyes at time when New Aincrad became part of ALO. But by the looks of him, he just started playing ALO. His equipment isn't newbie, but it isn't top player…not even 'mid-rank' player standards. He is most likely not a member of the SAO 'Assault Team' that big brother, sis, Asuna, Klein, and Agil were a part of, but then again, he could have started a new avatar and not transfer his SAO data. Maybe he had a 'problem' logging in like when Kazuto first came to ALO in search for Asuna caused when he was logging in while I was logging into ALO which causes him to get trapped in the territory between Sylph and Salamander territory instead of the Spriggan home territory. I would have to talk with big brother and Yui-chan about this."_ Leafa looks at Terra, who has quite the confused look on his face, and she thinks, _"Maybe he did have a 'problem' when he logged in, got flung into this location instead most likely Gnome home territory, and seeing Aincard caused 'bad SAO memories' to emerge. I'm going to have to get him somewhere safe."_

Terra asks, curiously, "Leafa?"

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"But how does he know me? I haven't seen any avatars that look a lot like mine and he called me by my avatar name. Ugh! I have no idea! Anyway, I'm going to have to treat this 'sensitively' since he might be disoriented, and he may be suffering from whatever 'trauma' SAO caused him when he got a look at Aincrad."_ Leafa tells Terra, "Anyway…Terra, was it? Where do you think that you met me?"

Terra tells Leafa, "You really don't remember? You don't remember that you met me and Koharu on the third floor when we had mistaken you for a Forest Elf?" Terra then mutters, "You were also saying about being a Sylph and ALO, too…"

Leafa thinks in her mind, concerned, _"Okay, now, I know that this guy has really gotten his marbles crossed! From what he just said, he said that he met me in SAO in this exact avatar! That's impossible! ALO didn't start until around a year after SAO started and I joined ALO sometime after it began! I wasn't in SAO at all! I was planning to use the NervGear that I 'borrowed' from Yuto that he was using to try to figure a way to free other friends trapped in SAO, but I never got the chance when big brother and sis defeated Kayaba on Floor Seventy-Five of Aincrad and ended the game before it reached the top floor!"_ Leafa thinks in her mind, _"But he knew I looked like in this avatar and he knew my avatar name exactly! And I know that I didn't meet a Gnome player or any player for that matter by the name of Terra or any player named Koharu for that matter! Who is this guy?"_ Leafa tells Terra, a bit nervously, "Okay, Terra, I'm going to need for you to come with me."

Terra says, a bit nervously, "Okay, but you need to tell me what's going on here."

Leafa says, a bit nervously, "I'll try my best." Leafa then spreads her wings and flies up causing Terra's eyes to widen.

Terra asks, "Can all players fly in here?"

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Oh, boy! If he is an SAO survivor, something about our Aincrad must have triggered something bad for him or something. Maybe he didn't play any VRMMO games until recently or something."_ Leafa sighs and she thinks, _"Something tells me that this is going to be a long day."_

 _ **March 2026, ALO, Swilvane**_

Within Swilvane, the capital player city of the Sylphs, we find Leafa inside of her player home with Terra and he is sitting down as well as looking around as Leafa serves him a cup of tea.

Terra tells Leafa, a bit nervously, "Thank you."

Leafa says, "No problem." Leafa thinks in her mind, _"I wish that I could get into contact with big brother and Asuna and get Yui-chan down here to figure out what's going on with Terra-san. They are most likely with Yuuki in a dungeon and that's why I can't reach them."_

As Terra looks around, he asks, "Is this your place?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yes, this is my in-game home, here, in Swilvane."

Terra says, "Swilvane…"

Terra takes a sip of the cup of tea and Leafa says, "Terra-san…"

Terra asks Leafa, "Yes, Leafa?"

Leafa tells Terra, "Terra-san, I think that…that something went wrong when you logged in here. Your memories are jumbled up or something and you are confused."

Terra asks, surprised, "Wait! What?"

Leafa says, with a motion to 'calm down', "You need to remain calm, but I never went to SAO. My big brother was trapped in SAO, but I was never part of it. You might be confusing me with someone else that you met."

Terra tells Leafa, "No, it was you that I met. I remember what happened. Koharu and I were on the third floor of Aincrad and we were taking part of the Elf Quest. We were chasing after a spy when you dropped in on us literally. We mistook you for a forest elf and you said that you weren't an elf, but a Sylph mumbling that 'in ALO' at least…"

As Leafa listened in, she thinks, _"Okay, Terra-san really must have his brain scrambled when he logged in or seeing Aincrad in the skies of this world must have brought up trauma that got his memories all messed up! I wish that I had Yui-chan to help, but she is most likely with big brother and the others with Yuuki. I'll see what I can do to help Terra-san, but I'm not sure."_ As Leafa listens to Terra tell a story about how he, another player named Koharu, and Kizmel, a dark elf NPC, journeyed together on the third floor of Aincrad assisting them in their version of War Elf quest in which Leafa and Kizmel made a distraction since Leafa looked like a forest elf due to her blond hair, skin tone, and pointed ears, Kibaou asking them to find out if any items from the part of the War Elf quest are important to beating the boss of the third floor, getting the reward and finding out that the reward for the War Elf quests of this floor doesn't relate to the floor boss through finding out a fact that he uses poison attacks, a lot, and Terra then says about Leafa staying on the third floor for a while.

Terra says, "We asked you why you were here, and you told us that you were looking for your brother?" Leafa's right eyebrow gives a quirk upwards and Terra says, "You told us that he didn't know that you were even here, and I think that you meant that he didn't know that you were in SAO. You said that you were looking everywhere for him on the third floor, but you never found him. When we asked about him, you said that he was a bit older than you and his name is Kazuto…"

Leafa then slams her hands onto the table, surprising Terra, and she yells out, sternly, "What kind of game are you playing Terra-san?"

Terra asks, surprised, "Game?"

Leafa tells Terra, sternly, "Who told you that name?"

Terra says, nervously, "You did…"

Leafa tells Terra, sternly, "No way! I already told you that I wasn't part of SAO and I know that I never told you my brother's real-life name!"

Terra asks, surprised, "Real life name?"

Leafa says, "That's right. His name in SAO is one that you know well: Kirito."

Terra asks, stunned, "Kirito?!"

Leafa bangs her hands on the table, again, and she yells out, sternly, "Enough of this, Terra-san! What is your game?"

Terra tells Leafa, nervously, "You are asking that while we are in a game?"

Leafa says, sternly, "I'm not fooling around Terra-san! Tell me the truth!"

Terra says, nervously, "I am telling the truth!" Leafa looks into Terra's eyes and she sighs in which she can see that Terra isn't lying at all.

Leafa tells Terra, "Okay, Terra-san, I believe you…" Terra sighs in relief, but Leafa then says, "But I think that you are very…confused."

Terra asks, surprised, "Confused?"

Leafa tells Terra, "I think that something went wrong when you logged into ALO and you got confused. Plus, seeing ALO's version of Aincrad got you confused…"

Terra tells Leafa, "Hold on! You aren't making any sense Leafa! In fact, this doesn't make any sense! I was just in Aincrad…trapped in SAO…"

Leafa tells Terra, "Terra-san, SAO finished back in November of Twenty-Twenty-Four, two years after it started! It is now March of Twenty-Twenty-Six."

Terra asks, shocked, "What?"

Leafa tells Terra, in a pleading tone, "Check your clock." Terra then checks his in-game clock and he is shocked to see that it is indeed March of 2026 causing him to stand on his feet.

Terra says, "No…No, that's not possible…how can I…how can I be in another virtual world…in the…in the FUTURE?! It…It isn't possible!" Terra stumbles and he then runs out of Leafa's house.

Leafa yells out, "Wait! Terra-san!" However, Terra is already gone and Leafa runs right after him in which Terra runs through the streets of Swilvane with Leafa running after him in which plenty of the players are surprised to see an Imp player in their territory, but they figure that he is a guest. However, as Leafa runs after Terra, two familiar ALO players take notice of Leafa and Haruka and Makoto, the ALO avatars of our Sailor Scouts of Wind and Lightning, look at each other with curious looks.

 _ **March 2026, ALO, Fields just outside of Swilvane**_

In the fields that are just outside of Swilvane, Terra is running as hard and as fast as his legs can and shaking his head in disbelief in the whole situation.

Terra thinks in his mind, _"This can't be possible. I've been transported into another VRMMO in the future? It isn't possible! But…what this place…these players…the clock…Leafa…. Leafa isn't lying! But wait! If this is the future, then why doesn't she remember me? Why does she think that I'm confused? I don't understand…!"_

Just then Leafa's voice ring out, "Terra-san, wait!" Terra stops in his tracks and looks around to find the source of Leafa's voice in which he is surprised to see her fly down in front of his eyes. Leafa lands in front of Terra causing him to step back a bit and Leafa says, "You need to calm down, Terra-san. Things are what you believe them to be…!" But then the whole area starts to shake and Leafa asks, confused, "What the? An earthquake? In VR?" Just then the whole area seems to 'fizzle' and 'shift' in which another virtual forest seems to 'mix' with the virtual forest near Swilvane and Leafa asks, confused, "What's going on?" Just then a white light erupts and Leafa screams out as she and Terra are engulfed by the light.

 _ **Unknown time, Unknown location**_

We see Leafa's face and she moans out as she slowly wakes up in which she looks to see that she is in a town that's made of ruins.

Leafa asks, confused, "W-What?"

Just then a female voice shouts out, "She's awake!" Leafa then looks to see someone that looks like Terra, but he is a human player since he isn't sporting his elf-like ears anymore, with another female player, a young and pretty teenage girl of mid to late teenage years, with shoulder length black hair with matching bangs, light green eyes, and not entry-level, but beginner level gear and clothing.

Leafa asks, "Who are you?"

The young teenage girl asks Leafa, confused, "Leafa, don't you recognize me?"

Leafa asks, confused, "Should I?" Leafa stands up in which she looks over herself causing her to gasp in which she asks, "What the?!" Leafa is surprised to find herself dressed in a simple dress and white dress, brown belt across her waist, a sheath for a sword across her waist, white stockings that covers most of her legs, and brown boots on her feet.

The young teenage girl looks at the male player and she asks, "Terra, what's wrong with Leafa?"

Leafa asks, confused, "Wait, Terra?" Leafa looks at the male player and an image of the male Imp player, Terra, she met a while before imposes himself over this male player. Leafa then looks around, realizing that her surroundings have changed, and she asks, "Where am I?" Leafa thinks in her mind, curiously, _"Wait! This place looks familiar…"_

The young man, revealed to be Terra, says, "This is Karluin, the main town of the fifth floor of Aincrad."

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Karluin?"_ Leafa looks around and she thinks, _"Yes, it looks like the fifth floor. The fifth floor is full of ruins, but…this Karluin…feels different. There is just a 'darker feel' to this Karluin. This can't be the same Karluin that I know. It sounds crazy, but this isn't the Karluin…No, this isn't the same Aincrad in ALO."_ Leafa then uses her left hand to bring up the menu, but it doesn't work causing Leafa to be surprised. She tries again, but it doesn't work.

The young girl tells Leafa, "You are using the wrong hand. You need to use your right hand." Leafa gets a feeling of dread as she repeats the action with her right hand and the menu appears in which she then notices at the corner of her eye, her HP bar doesn't have a MP bar below it and she also finds that by her hands, there is a level number in the nineties by her name.

Leafa thinks in her mind, shocked, _"There is no MP bar and there is a level number by name! ALO doesn't have level! It is a skill-based game, not a level game!"_ She mentally gasps as she goes over the menu and she is shocked to find that there is NO logout button! The feeling of dread grows even stronger in Leafa and she asks, shocked, "Where…Where am I?"

The young girl asks, confused, "Huh?"

Terra then says, a bit nervously, "This is Karluin, the main town in the fifth floor of Aincrad…in SAO."

Leafa gives a flabbergasted expression and she thinks in her mind, shocked beyond belief, _"SAY WHAT?!"_

( **A bit later** )

Right now, within what seems like to Karluin, the main town of the fifth floor of the Aincrad of SWORD ART ONLINE, we find Leafa, Terra, and young girl, known as Koharu, inside of a restaurant/inn known as Tavern Inn Blink & Brink where Terra and Koharu explain their story in SAO to Leafa which causes Leafa to come to an incredible conclusion about her current situation in which she felt that she had somehow traveled into the past.

Leafa thinks in her mind, stunned, _"I can't believe it! I don't know how it is possible, but then again, I know that both Terra-san and Koharu-san aren't playing an elaborate trick on me. Not to insult them, but they don't to seem to be the 'type' for that. As incredible as it seems, it is the only theory that makes any sense…if this whole thing makes any sense at all!"_

Terra and Koharu see Leafa's stunned reaction and Koharu asks, curiously, "Leafa?"

Leafa focuses on Terra and Koharu and she tells them, nervously, "Terra-san, I need for you and Koharu-san to listen because what I'm going to tell you is unbelievable, but it is the truth."

Koharu asks, confused, "What do you mean?"

Leafa replies, "When you said that you met me, you didn't meet 'me' just your world's version of me."

Terra asks, confused, "Huh?"

Leafa says, with a groan, "What I mean is that…How can I say this? I'm not the Leafa that you met on the third floor of THIS Aincrad. She is this world's…this universe's version of me. I'm an alternate version of the Leafa that you met from a totally different future…a different version of this universe."

Terra and Koharu give looks of shock and Terra asks, surprised, "Say what?"

Leafa says, "Terra-san, I already told you that I never met you in SAO. In fact, I never went to SAO at all. To be honest, I had formulated a plan to get into SAO to help my brother, but he and someone else managed to beat the game just before I could try it…at least in my world. And there is also something else: My brother, my Kirito, my Usagi, and my Asuna never said that they had adventured with a pair of former beta testers who had the avatar names of Koharu and Terra."

Koharu says, confused and shocked, "Wait! That can't be! We've met them! We fought through all of the boss fights thus far with them…!"

Leafa says, holding out her hand and interrupting, "Hold on, Koharu-san! I don't think that you are wrong! However, as I already said, I don't think that MY Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna forgotten about you because they would have mentioned you when they told me about their early days in SAO. However, based on what they told me, no one else knew Usagi's avatar name beyond Kirito and Asuna and several others later on through that horrible 'death game'. The other players in THAT SAO knew Usagi as the 'White Swordswoman' or the 'White Valkyrie' later on."

Terra says, "That's what they are calling Usagi these days."

Leafa says, "Your Usagi, Terra-san."

Koharu asks, confused, "OUR Usagi?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "That's right. As amazing as it is and I'm still finding it hard to believe, but I'm another Leafa. One from a different future and a different timeline where you never venture with my brother, Usagi, and Asuna through SAO." Terra and Koharu give looks of shock and Leafa tells them, "And I know because events are different from what I was told and know than what you have experienced. In my timeline, Diabel died in that first-floor boss battle when Illfang used Kitana sword skills that he didn't have in the beta."

Terra asks, shocked, "Hold up! Leafa, you know about Illfang?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Because MY Asuna, Usagi, and big brother told me, as hard as it was…" Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Add to the fact that I had gotten a good idea of what happened in SAO during what happened with Sword Art World."_ Leafa then says, continuing, "…And in my timeline, you weren't there to stop him. Diabel died from the surprise of the change of Illfang's sword skill set. However, here, Terra-san, you saved Diabel."

Terra says, "Yeah, no kidding. It was lucky that I had gotten a preview of Kitana Sword Skills beforehand in the beta and even then, it was too close that I managed to block the attack and save Diabel in time."

Leafa says, with a nod, "But in the Sword Art Online that I know, that didn't happen. In THAT SAO, Diabel died that day." Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"And it has scarred big brother and sis to this very day."_

Koharu asks, curiously, "So…you are another version of Leafa, the Leafa that we know, from a…alternate universe where we didn't get trapped in SAO?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "It looks like it. Let me explain what happened in the SAO that I know." Soon after, Leafa then explains about the events of her timeline/universe while making sure to keep 'certain events/situations/knowledge' out of her explanation.

When she is done, Terra asks, shocked, "Wait! The Kayaba in the SAO of your 'world' was disguised as a player."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Kayaba disguised himself as a player known as Heathcliff, who head one of the strongest guilds of the SAO 'Assault Team' players, Knights of the Blood Oath, of which my Asuna was a part of. His plan was to build up the guild's strength and just a few floors from the top, 'betray' them, and reveal himself as the final boss of the game. It was all for the sake of his stupid 'story'."

Koharu asks, "Could that mean…that our Kayaba is also here…disguised as a player?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "I would bet money on that Koharu-san." Leafa then says, "My big brother managed to figure out when he forced Kayaba to use his GM privileges to prevent his game system protection being found out by everyone, but it allowed Kirito, with help from Usagi, to figure it out. After that, the two of them managed to defeat Kayaba after the horrible battle with the floor boss for Aincrad's seventy-fifth floor." Leafa says, with a sigh, "The 'death game' was finally over, but around four thousand people were dead and many of the rest were scarred forever by it." Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Including both of my siblings."_

Koharu asks, horrified, "Four thousand…dead?"

Leafa says, "But it doesn't have to be this way in THIS SAO, Koharu-san. I have given you advanced knowledge based on what I learned from my big brother, Asuna, Usagi, and all of their friends and fellow SAO survivors…" Leafa then thinks in her mind, _"Among 'other things', but they don't need to know that."_ Leafa says, "…You could prevent what happened in my timeline's SAO from happening in yours."

Terra asks, "Shouldn't you be doing this Leafa?"

Leafa responds, "It won't affect me at all, Terra-san. Remember, I come from a different timeline and all this stuff has already happened. It is the past to me and I can't change the past." Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"No matter how much I want to."_ Leafa says, "So, what happens to 'change' here won't affect me and even if it did…I don't give a damn. SAO was a horrible tragedy in more ways than one. SAO nearly ruined what is 'an incredible new universe' all because of that ass using something that could bring wonder and joy to people and making a nightmare because of his own stupid selfishness. He murdered so many people with his greed and selfishness. I may not be able to help prevent all the pain and suffering it caused back in my time, but if I can prevent 'another SAO' from hurting as many, I will do what it takes. However, it will be all up to you to do that."

Koharu asks, curiously, "Up to us?"

Leafa tells Koharu, "I don't belong here. I need to get back to my timeline, somehow, especially if the Cardinal System decides to 'erase' me."

Terra asks, "Cardinal System? You mean the system that runs SAO?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "And practically every VRMMO in my timeline, Terra-san. The Cardinal System was created by Kayaba to manage SAO without the need for human input. It is why the game can run so long like this."

Koharu says, "I've wondered why SAO kept going on for over two months straight without any human input."

Terra says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Leafa says, "Cardinal can create and manage up to an infinite number of quests because it connects with the internet and creates those quests based on anything that it finds on the internet. In fact, your version of the War Elf questline that you are on could be and most likely is, different from the one that your 'world's' version of Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna are on."

Koharu and Terra are shocked and Koharu says, amazed, "Wow. That's…incredible."

Terra says, amazed, "Cardinal…If it can manage so many quests, it must be one heck of a system."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Based on what I know and can figure out, it is, but that's my problem. It manages the game and will see me as a 'bug', 'error', or something like that. Because ALO uses the same Cardinal System as SAO, it is probably why my avatar is the same…through I don't know how anything is possible since I traveled into an alternate universe. The items that I had on me in ALO are here, so, there is no problem, but it is the problem of my level. Right now, my level is registered around the mid-nineties."

Terra asks, shocked, "Nineties?"

Koharu says, amazed, "That's incredible."

Leafa says, "And that my problem. It is unnatural."

Koharu asks, curiously, "Unnatural?" Koharu then realizes what Leafa is talking about and she says, with a nod of understanding, "Oh."

Leafa says, with a nod, "That's right. My big brother, in HIS SAO, and Usagi didn't get to that level until they were near the end of their SAO, which was around Floor Seventy-Five, in which a player with that kind of level with the players only reaching the seventh floor…"

Terra says, finishing for Leafa, "…Is possibly an 'error' or 'bug'."

Leafa says, nodding her head, "Exactly, Terra. And that puts me in just as much if not more danger than you. My real self is an alternate universe and my 'mind' is trapped in 'another world'. If I'm 'deleted' here, my body could just end up as a vegetable or something!" Leafa flinches from her own words in which Terra and Koharu can't help to flinch from that. Leafa says, "That's why I need to find a way back to my world."

Terra says, "But Leafa, we don't know how…Heck, we don't know how I got to your world in the first place!"

Leafa says, "Good question." Leafa asks Terra, "But what were you and Koharu-san doing before you found yourself in my world…in ALO?"

Terra and Koharu look at each other and Koharu says, "Well, after we had defeated the floor boss for the sixth floor, Pierce the Rogue Manticore, in which we heard about a quest for Argo that he wanted us to check out."

Terra says, continuing the story, "We were exploring the ruins and at one point, we split up to look around." Koharu nods her head and Terra says, "At one point, I thought I saw something and went in that direction and I found a strange long rectangle stone slab."

Leafa asks, curiously, "Rectangle stone slab?"

Terra says, with a nod, "Yeah. It was a huge long black polished stone slab that looked man-made."

Leafa asks, seriously, "Could you take me to it?!"

Terra asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Koharu asks, curiously, "Why?"

Leafa says, "That could be a GM console!"

Terra and Koharu gasp and Terra asks, stunned, "Say what?"

Leafa tells Terra and Koharu, "It is what its name implies, Terra-san. It is a console that allows access to programming of SAO…as long as you have administrative privileges." Leafa then says, "My big brother and Asuna found one in their SAO just before the game ended. It was in a secret dungeon under Blackiron Palace on the first floor of Aincrad, but it only opens up once you have reached a certain floor. Around the sixtieth floor since the monsters in there rival the monsters of floors sixty to seventy based on what my big brother told me."

Koharu says, "Oh, wow."

Terra asks Leafa, "But if that's the true, you said that only those with administrative privileges can use it, what good would it do you?"

Leafa tells Terra, with a smile, "I'm guessing that at that moment, you were teleported to the ALO of my world, weren't you?"

Terra says, "Actually, yes."

Leafa tells Terra, "Then that's my best bet of getting home." Leafa then says, "Actually, all I need for you is to give me a copy of your map data and I'll find it myself. This could be very dangerous…"

Koharu tells Leafa, shaking her head, "No, Leafa. We're coming with you."

Leafa tells Koharu, "Koharu-san, I'll be all right. With my unusual high level…"

Koharu tells Leafa, interrupting, "You said that's your problem and Cardinal's programming would be targeting you. What if it weakens your level as you search for that GM console? You are going to need help."

Leafa says, "I'll be fine. I'm good at kendo and in my ALO, they added SAO's Sword Skills and I am well-versed in them."

Koharu tells Leafa, "Just because you played a game similar to this one doesn't mean that you are going to be safe, Leafa. You said it yourself. You are just in much danger as we are. You may not be connected to a NervGear like we are, but if you 'die' here, you are gone forever!"

Leafa says, with a sigh, "You aren't going to allow me to convince you NOT to come with me."

Terra says, with a smile, "Not a chance." Leafa gives an exasperated sigh and she shakes her head having a feeling about this.

 _ **January 2023 (alternate timeline), SAO/Aincrad, Fifth Floor**_

Within the underground catacombs of the fifth floor of this Aincrad, Leafa, Terra, and Koharu are going through the catacombs while fighting astral and undead monsters along the way.

Terra says, "I'm amazed that you aren't freaking out at this, Leafa."

Leafa says, with a smile, "I've seen stranger."

Koharu asks, curiously, "Really?"

Leafa says, with a kind smile, "It's complicated. I really don't want to get into that." Koharu and Terra look at each other with a curious look, but they decide not to bring up that subject.

Terra tells Leafa, "Leafa…"

Leafa responds, knowing what Terra is talking about, "Yeah, I know, Terra-san. To be honest, I don't know how my counterpart here got to SAO in the first place."

Koharu asks, curiously, "Wouldn't that mean that she used a NervGear?"

Leafa tells Koharu, "Remember I mentioned that ALO is another VRMMO game based on the system used by SAO? Have you heard of another VRMMO game while SAO was coming out?"

Koharu says, shaking her head, "No."

Leafa says, "That's because Alfheim Online, ALO, won't be coming out, as long as many of the events remain the same as in my world, until late this year around November."

Koharu and Terra give looks of shock and Terra asks, surprised, "This year?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "That's right. In my world, despite what happened with SAO, people still wanted a Full-Dive VR system and they developed the Amusphere. The Amusphere is actually a remodeled NervGear expect with a lot of safety features."

Terra says, "Because of this."

Leafa says, nodding her head, "That's right. The Amusphere isn't as 'immersive' as the NervGear, but people felt that it is a good idea that diver should have 'a foot IRL'. Add to the fact that transmission is lower in frequency than the NervGear, so, 'microwave brain' isn't on the menu." Leafa says, "However, the Amusphere didn't come out until May of Twenty-Twenty-Three in my world and also, I didn't play ALO until January of Twenty-Twenty-Four!"

There are gasps of shock from Terra and Koharu and Koharu asks, "Are you saying that our Leafa comes from the future?"

Leafa says, "It is a hard to believe and personally, I would be hard pressed to believe it…if I haven't been through plenty of strange things myself which now includes this. However, based on what you said, it is the only thing that I can think of that my counterpart did. She, somehow, traveled back from sometime in your world's Twenty-Twenty-Four to around sometime just around the start of SAO, but I can't see how…" Leafa thinks in her mind, _"However, there is one possibility in my mind. But has she already awakened her powers or could it have been involuntary reaction to…something. The only way that I could get an idea is to ask my counterpart, but I shouldn't push my luck."_

Koharu asks, "Is it really possible to travel back in time through VR worlds?"

Leafa says, "Well, normally, it shouldn't be. But based on what you told me, my counterpart, your Leafa, somehow managed to come from the future. Leafa wasn't 'born', at least in my world, until January of Twenty-Twenty-Four. However, Full-Dive VR technology shouldn't be able to send people back into the past…" Leafa thinks in her mind, _"But I've got a theory on what did send her back into the past."_

Terra asks, "Should we tell Leafa that we know the truth about her?"

Leafa says, a bit nervously, "That's going to lead to some 'complications'. On how you found out and it might be hard for her to believe that you met an alternate future version of her."

Terra says, a bit nervously, "That's…a good point."

Koharu says, with a nod, "Yeah. We're still wrapping our heads around this." Koharu says, with a smile, "However, it is interesting to know that there are going to be fun worlds out there once we get out."

Leafa gives a smile at this and Leafa says, "However, you have a big job to do."

Terra tells Leafa, "Even through these events happened in your world, how can you be sure that they will happen in ours?"

Leafa says, with a plain tone, "Just call it a feeling. I think that having you in SAO makes a difference."

Koharu asks, "What can we do differently than what Kirito and Usagi could?"

Terra says, "From what you said, they are the heroes of SAO in your world."

Leafa says, "True, but even they couldn't save a lot of those lives that were despite trying to save them, especially Usagi. Something tells me that you can. I think in my world that you…Or should I say, my world's version of you, two, were never around to join up with my big brother because you either missed the opening day or…"

Terra says, "We…Our counterparts in your world could have been among the first two thousand victims during the first month."

Koharu gives look of shock and Leafa says, with a smile, "I think that it is the first choice."

Koharu asks, "How can you be so sure?"

Leafa asks Koharu and Terra, "Did the two of you have something important that could have made you miss the opening?" Koharu and Terra give looks of surprise, the two of them look at each other, and Leafa says, with a smile, "All that I need to know."

Koharu asks, "So, you feel that our counterparts in your world missed the opening day?"

Leafa says, with a smile, "I think so. I really don't think that they could have died so easily because you, two, didn't die so easily." Leafa tells the two of them, "I think…No, I KNOW that you can make a difference. If you saved Diabel's life, you can help so many others."

Terra says, solemnly, "But Diabel…"

Leafa says, with a smile, "Something tells me that he doesn't die too easily."

Koharu says, with a warm smile, "Yeah, I agree, Leafa."

Terra asks, "But what about our…?"

Leafa says, with a shrug, "I…don't exactly know. Someone told me about time travel and temporal paradoxes and it is this: Don't really think about them because it is going to hurt your head."

Koharu says, a bit nervously, "Okay…" Koharu and Terra can't help to wonder if Leafa experience something like this before, but they decide not to say a thing. Soon enough, after a few more astral and undead monster encounters, they arrive in front of a door.

Leafa asks Terra, "Is this it?"

Terra says, with a nod, "Yeah." The group approach the door and they find that it is somewhat open in which they peek inside where they find a large black rectangular block with a figure in front of it.

Leafa whispers, "That's it."

Koharu whispers, curiously, "It is?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yep. That's GM console all right."

Terra asks, "Is that another player?"

Koharu says, "It looks like it…" However, Leafa can't be so sure since she looks up the color cursor of the figure and she is shocked to see it switch from the green cursor of players into a red cursor of monsters.

Leafa thinks in her mind, confused, _"What the?!"_

Terra whispers, "Maybe we should see…"

Leafa then whispers to Terra and Koharu, interrupting Terra, "No, Terra! You and Koharu stay back! I'll confront this 'person' alone."

Terra and Koharu look at Leafa in confusion and Koharu asks, confused, "But…?"

Leafa tells Koharu, "Just trust me, Koharu. You and Terra stay out of sight." Terra and Koharu see Leafa's VERY SERIOUS expression and they decide to trust her as Leafa sneaks into the room while Terra and Koharu stay out of sight in which Leafa walks over to the figure in front of the GM console, but she then kicks a rock that hits the wall causing the figure to notice in which she turns in Leafa's direction. Leafa thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Crap!"_

The figure says, in a female voice, "Who are you?"

Leafa responds, "I should ask you the same question! Who are you? And what are you doing in this dungeon?" Just then Leafa sees the figure's cursor shifting back and forth between green and red colors.

The figure says, with a sinister sly tone, "Oh, well. I guess that they will count you as another 'casualty' of this 'death game'." The female figure than transforms into Widow, the massive female humanoid spider-like Youma that Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars fought before, and bares down on Leafa.

Leafa thinks in her mind, surprised, _"Shit! A youma!"_ Leafa then draws her sword out and she thinks in her mind, _"That's why her cursor was changing. A youma is a monster, but she isn't a 'programmed monster' of SAO. She is the real deal! The system is having trouble of 'classifying' her!"_

Widow yells out, "Time to die, human!" Widow unleashes her webs on Leafa, but she easily cuts through them.

Leafa says, with a serious tone, "You are going to need to do better than that!"

Widow says, "We'll see how cocky you are after this!" Widow then lashes out with her spider-like arms with ends acting like spear tips in which Leafa has to dodge and block with her sword.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"Shoot! This isn't like fighting typical mobs. She is a true REAL monster and while youma aren't exactly the brightest bulbs in the shed, they aren't like the VR mob monsters or even bosses that follow set patterns. They are more unpredictable and much more dangerous!"_ It is that unpredictability that keeps Leafa on her toes against Widow as the two of them fight to a draw within seconds of their battle starting.

Koharu's voice booms out, "Leafa!" Koharu and Terra leap into the room and draw their swords.

Leafa yells out, "Stay back! This isn't any ordinary monster! It isn't generated by SAO…she is the real deal!"

Terra asks, confused, "Real deal?!"

Widow shouts out, "Indeed, little human!" Widow then leaps up to the ceiling and unleashes her webs that entrap both Terra and Koharu in which they struggle to get free, but they can't.

Leafa shouts out, concerned, "No!" However, Leafa grunts out as her avatar starts to become 'staticky' like an old-fashion television screen when it loses focus on and she falls to her knees.

Terra says, worriedly, "Leafa!" Leafa looks at her stats and level in which her HP and level numbers are going wild.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"My stats! It must be the Cardinal! What rotten timing! Damn it!"_

Widow lands near Terra and Koharu and Widow says, looking at Leafa, "It looks like you are in a bit of a 'bind' yourself. I think that I will have some fun." Widow looks at Terra and Koharu and she says, evilly, "I will slowly 'drain the life' out of them until they vanish and the devices attached to their heads fry their pathetic human brains at the same time!"

Terra and Koharu gasp in shock and horror and Leafa shouts out, worriedly, "No, you can't!"

Widow shouts out, evilly, "Yes, I can! And I will! And all you can do is watch! I will love to see all of your terrified looks on your faces, but don't worry, you will be joining them soon enough!" Widow prepares her spider-like arms to strike at Terra and Koharu, who are entrapped by Widow's webs and unable to fight back, depleting their HP, and 'killing' them in the game which will cause their NervGears to fry their minds IRL. Leafa's mind flashes back to images of seeing what happened when a NervGear fried the brain of a person during the two horrible years of SAO.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"No, I can't let them! I won't let that happen! I've already seen too much death! Too many good people died because of Kayaba's selfishness and greed! This may not be my world…my SAO, but this is just as real as what happened back home! Terra and Koharu can make a difference and they will make a difference! I won't them die! I REFUSE TO LET THEM DIE!"_ Leafa then roars out as she starts to glow and get to her feet in which she is bathed in rainbow light much to the surprise and confusion of everyone else.

Widow yells out, confused, "What is this?!" Widow, Terra, and Koharu close their eyes from the intense light and when the light starts to fade, the two humans and one youma look to see Valkyrie Sailor Celestial in place of Leafa.

Terra and Koharu gasp in shock and Widow shouts out, stunned, "You are…?!"

Sailor Celestial says, seriously, "Your worst nightmare, freak!"

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' starts)

Sailor Celestial then draws her two swords and quick as a flash, Sailor Celestial cuts off two of Widow's spider-like arms causing her to howl.

Widow shouts out, angrily, "You'll pay for that!" Widow lashes out with webs, but Sailor Celestial easily cuts the webs in mid-air causing Widow to stumble backwards, however, Sailor Celestial keeps attacking and keeps Widow on the defensive. Widow strikes with her remaining arms, but Sailor Celestial dodges the attacks with ease. Widow shouts out, irritated, "Stay still!"

Sailor Celestial shouts out, strongly, "In your dreams!" Sailor Celestial ducks from another attack and then leaps up to ram her armored knee into Widow's chin causing her to stumble backwards. Sailor Celestial takes her chance and with her Dark Repulser glowing with power, she roars as she slices Widow right through the middle!

Widow shouts out, "NO WAY! THIS CAN'T BE…!" Widow then explodes into hundreds of data particles as she is defeated.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' ends)

Sailor Celestial takes a big sigh, goes over to Terra and Koharu, who are free from Widow's webs as she is destroyed, and she asks, "Are you okay?"

Koharu and Terra nod their heads and Terra asks, "Who are you Leafa?"

Sailor Celestial responds, "It is a LONG story of which I can't say."

Koharu asks, "Why?"

Sailor Celestial replies, with a smile, "Big secret. The big 'super hero' kind." Terra and Koharu give looks of shock and Sailor Celestial tells them, with a kind smile, "I wouldn't go talking about this to my counterpart, here. She might not know that she has special powers. She has 'realized' her powers yet." Terra and Koharu don't completely understand, but they nod their heads anyway. Sailor Celestial puts her swords away and goes over to the GM console.

Terra asks, "Is this…?"

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, "Yeah. It is a GM console for SAO."

Koharu asks, "But doesn't that mean that only Kayaba…?"

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod of her head, "Yeah. He is the only GM around here." Sailor Celestial then goes over to the GM console and she touches it in which there is a strong glow come from the GM console until a bright flash comes from it causing the three people in the room to cover their eyes for a second. When they are able to open their eyes, again, they see what looks like a gateway in front of them and from that gateway, Sailor Celestial can see the familiar World Tree that's the center of ALO. Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, _"That's the World Tree at the center of ALO! But is it my ALO? Well, there is only one way to find out!"_ Sailor Celestial then goes over to the portal and she stops to look over at Terra and Koharu, who are looking at them intently. Sailor Celestial says, "This is my ride home."

Koharu says, "Goodbye, Leafa."

Terra says, "Good luck."

Sailor Celestial says, with a smile, "Good luck to you, too." Sailor Celestial then says, "Oh, yeah! There is one more thing I need to tell you about." Sailor Celestial then goes over in which she whispers something to Terra and Koharu causing them to gain looks of shock and gasp.

Terra asks, amazed, "Seriously?!"

Sailor Celestial says, with a grin, "Yep. We found out those facts after SAO in my world. If your Kayaba is anything like my Kayaba, this will come in handy, but don't use it until the time is right. Remember, he has infiltrated the game as a player known as Heathcliff and we are going to start hearing about him if and when the guild the Knights of the Blood Oath start coming around. Hopefully, you'll prevent that massacre that will happen on floor twenty-five."

Koharu says, "We'll try our best."

Sailor Celestial says, with a smile, "I know that you'll do that Koharu-san. Good luck to both of you." Sailor Celestial then goes to the portal, takes a deep breath, and she then leaps through the portal which vanishes as soon as she appears in which the GM console also vanishes too.

Terra says, surprised, "The GM console!"

Koharu asks, confused, "What happened to it?"

Terra says, "I guess that the Cardinal System thought that GM console was an error."

Koharu says, with a sigh, "That's too bad."

Terra says, with a smile, "Yeah, but now, we have information that could help us defeat the game."

Koharu asks, "Even if things are only somewhat different than what happened in Leafa's world, do you think that we can make sure things happening differently than Leafa's world?"

Terra says, "I don't know, Koharu, but we have to try."

Koharu says, "But there is so much that we have to do."

Terra says, with a nod, "I know, Koharu, but Leafa trusted us to get things done. She believed in us."

Koharu says, with a smile, "You're right, Terra. We have to try." Koharu thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"Thank you, Leafa. We will do our best to do with what you gave us: Hope."_

 _ **March 2026, ALO, New Aincrad**_

Inside of New Aincrad, we find ourselves on the twenty-second floor where we find Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, Leafa, and a familiar violet-haired and red eyed female imp, Yuuki, walking down towards Kirito's and Asuna's virtual home in New Aincrad.

Just then a female voice calls out, curiously, "Excuse me?" The group looks over and Leafa's eyes widen when she sees two ALO players that are very familiar to her with the first player being a male Imp player that's an exact duplicate of Terra in his 'ALO form' when he first arrived, but this 'Terra duplicate' has more high-level gear and equipment on him.

The second player is a female player that looks like an Undine version of Koharu with blue eyes and hair and wearing high-level female gear and equipment.

Usagi asks, curiously, "Yes?"

The Undine version of Koharu asks, looking at Kirito, "Excuse me, is your name Kirito?"

Kirito responds, a bit nervously, "Yes…"

The 'Terra duplicate' responds, with a smile, "I guess that you don't remember us. We met back during the SAO beta."

There are gasps of shock from Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi and Leafa then asks, "You mean that the two players that big brother helped out on the final day of the beta?"

Everyone else looks at Leafa, with Kirito giving a MAJOR look of shock and surprise, and the Undine version of Koharu asks, surprised, "Kirito, is your brother?"

Leafa says, with a smile, "Yep. I'm Leafa, Kirito is my big brother. Well, IRL anyway. When he was able to, he told me a lot about his adventures in SAO including stuff in the beta. That's how I knew about the event that you mentioned." Leafa asks, "You are Terra and Koharu, right?"

The Undine of Koharu says, with a nod, "Yes, I'm Koharu."

The 'Terra duplicate' says, nodding his head, "And I'm Terra."

Usagi asks, "So, you are former beta testers of SAO?"

This world's version of Koharu, who will be called **Koharu** to differ her from the Koharu that Leafa met in the alternate timeline, says, with a nervous smile, "Well, you couldn't call me much of a tester since I only got to log in on the final day of the beta."

Asuna asks, curiously, "So…?"

This world's version of Terra, who will be called **Terra** to differ him from the Terra that Leafa met from the alternate time, says, shaking his head, "No. We're NOT SAO survivors. On the day that SAO started, Koharu and I had important stuff on that day." **Terra** says, with a smile, "Back then, we had hoped that it would cancel at the last second, but it didn't happen."

Kirito says, "However, there are plenty of us that would say that you were really lucky that it didn't."

 **Terra** replies, with a smile, "Yeah, you could say that." **Terra** says, with a solemn smile, "However, Koharu and I knew people that knew others that were trapped in SAO and didn't survive." Everyone else, other than **Koharu** , nod their heads in understanding, but Usagi gives a mental sigh of relief on knowing these two former beta testers didn't suffer through SAO.

Leafa asks, curiously, "So, what happened after SAO started?"

 **Koharu** says, "After SAO started, our parents immediately took our NervGears away and we kept hearing about the horrible things that were happening especially during the first month."

 **Terra** says, "I couldn't help to wonder how many of those first two thousand people that died were my fellow testers. I had made a few good friends during the beta. I couldn't help to wonder what happened to them."

Kirito says, with a nod of understanding, "That's understandable."

Asuna asks, curiously, "You never knew their real names?"

 **Terra** says, shaking his head, "Nope."

Leafa asks **Terra** and **Koharu** , "How did you meet up in real life?"

 **Koharu** says, with a smile, "Terra and I met up at Future Divers. My avatar looked a lot like I do IRL, so, Terra recognized me instantly."

 **Terra** says, with a smile, "We were surprised to see each other."

 **Koharu** says, "I didn't recognize him at first, but then again, it shouldn't be surprising."

Kirito says, with a smile, "His avatar was different from how he looked like IRL, so, it isn't surprising." Kirito tells **Terra** and **Koharu** , "It is nice to see you, again. And personally, I'm glad that people like you didn't get stuck in that mess."

 **Terra** says, "Thanks, Kirito. Koharu and I heard a lot about you from SAO survivors that we talked to."

Kirito says, with a nervous smile, "I'm not sure how to feel about that."

Asuna says, with a smile, "Well, I would like to hear about what happened when you met Kirito-kun. Oh, I'm Asuna. I'm Kirito-kun's wife."

 **Terra** and **Koharu** gasp in shock and **Koharu** asks, shocked, "M-Married?!"

Kirito blushes in embarrassment and Leafa tells Asuna, "I think you keep using when you got married in-game to make big brother blush."

Asuna says, with a giggle, "Maybe."

Usagi says, with a smile, "Kirito and Asuna got 'married' in SAO, but technically, they are still boyfriend and girlfriend. I'm Usagi by the way."

Yuuki yells out, excitedly, "And I'm Yuuki!"

 **Terra** asks, looking at Yuuki, "Hold on! Aren't you 'Absolute Sword'?"

Yuuki says, with a nod, "Yep! That's what players are calling me here!"

 **Koharu** says, excitedly, "Oh, wow! This is so exciting!"

Leafa asks **Terra** and **Koharu** , "Did you start playing ALO because of Aincrad being part of ALO?"

 **Terra** says, with a nod, "We started playing ALO around the time that Aincrad became a part of ALO. However, we were part of the Sword Art World project."

Asuna says, nervously, "Oh…"

 **Koharu** says, with a smile, "Don't worry. Future Divers has a brand-new plan and they plan to revamp the idea!"

 **Terra** says, nervously, "Koharu…"

 **Koharu** says, nervously, "Oops."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Don't worry, we won't tell anymore! I'm not sure how big brother can keep a secret since everyone can tell if he is lying…"

Kirito yells out, embarrassed tone in his voice, "Hey, Sugu!" Asuna, Yuuki, and Usagi giggle at Kirito's embarrassment.

Asuna asks **Terra** and **Koharu** , "Anyway, would you like to join us at our player house?"

Yuuki says, "We would love to hear the story on how you met each other and how you met Kirito back in the SAO beta!"

 **Koharu** says, with a smile, "Sure!"

Leafa asks **Terra** and **Koharu** , "Terra, may I ask you and Koharu a question?"

 **Terra** asks, curiously, "Yes?"

Leafa asks **Terra** and **Koharu** , "Have you ever wondered what happened if you 'important thing' on the day of the start of SAO got cancelled?"

 **Koharu** responds, curious tone in her voice, "Well, we would have been trapped in SAO like your brother."

 **Terra** says, with a smile, "However, I doubt that we could have done anything like your brother or his friend, the 'White Valkyrie', did. I mean, they are the ones that conquered SAO!" Kirito and Usagi flinch from **Terra's** words.

Leafa responds, with a wide smile, "I don't know. Something tells me if you have been in there, you could have made a big difference." Everyone else looks at Leafa in surprise and Leafa says, with a warm smile, "Something tells that you and Koharu could have made an important difference to many people there like big brother."

 **Koharu** says, with a smile, "You are just being nice, Leafa." Soon enough, the group heads off, but Kirito is looking at Leafa intently with a confused look on his face.

Usagi whispers to Kirito, "What's wrong?"

Kirito whispers to Usagi, "I never told Sugu about that time in the beta at all."

Asuna, overhearing this, asks, curiously and in a whisper, "Are you sure?"

Kirito replies, nodding his head, "I'm certain, Asuna." That gets them curious on how Leafa knew about that 'incident' with Kirito, **Terra** , and **Koharu** as well as the feeling that Leafa seems to know more about the two former beta testers than any of them realize.

 _ **March 2026, Unknown location**_

At a darkened location, a group of figures is looking a holographic screen displaying the events of Sailor Celestial defeating Widow in the alternate SAO.

One of the figure says, in a male voice, "Darn! I guess that the old coot is right!"

Another figure says, in a male voice, "No important loss. We weren't invested in this anyway."

A third figure says, with a female voice, "Then one of us shall inform Professor Shigemura-dono that we shall continue with his plans."

The first figure that spoke says, "Agreed. However, we must work slowly. The plan will need around one more month to completion."

The second figure that spoke says, "We have the SAO servers, but the memory within them is fragment due to what happened with Sword Art World."

The first figure says, "Due to Sugou and his 'antics'…"

The third figure, the female figure, says, "However, if anyone can rebuild Aincrad, it is Professor Shigemura. After all, he is the sensei of Kayaba and Sugou after all."

The second figure asks, plainly, "I wonder: Did that girl make any difference in that world?"

 _ **October 18, 2023 (alternate timeline), SAO/Aincrad, Floor 40**_

Back within the alternate universe, we are inside of that SAO, that 'other Aincrad', where we find ourselves within the boss room of Floor 40 of this Aincrad where we find Terra, having higher level equipment and one-handed sword, attacking this world's version of Heathcliff, looking exactly like the red-clad false knight that was the avatar of the so-called 'deity' of SAO that we know, in which he bounces off by a violet force-field and the words 'immortal object' appear in the sign beside him much to the shock of the other players within the boss room including this world's version of Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi.

This Kirito, who we will call [Kirito] to differ him from the 'prime Kirito', says, shocked, "No way."

This world's Asuna, who we will call [Asuna] to differ her from the 'main Asuna', asks, stunned, "He is designated a system protected object?"

Terra says, "That's right, Asuna." On the meanwhile, Koharu sneaks into the room and onto the scene in which Terra says, "There are only certain 'things' that are protected by the system, here, including buildings, roads, and…"

[Kirito] says, his eyes widening, "Game masters…"

This world's Usagi, who we will call [Usagi] to differ her from the moon princess that we know, says, shocked, "Wait…"

Terra says, with a nod, "That's right." Terra looks at this Heathcliff, who will call [Heathcliff] to differ him from the 'prime Heathcliff', and says, "All this time and you didn't even say hello to your niece…Akihiko Kayaba."

There are gasps of shock and horror from the group of players, minus Koharu, and after several seconds, [Heathcliff] responds, "I would normally ask how you figured it out, but we both know where you got that information."

Terra asks, with a smirk, "Oh? How do you know that a 'little fairy' didn't tell us?"

[Heathcliff] doesn't say a word for several seconds and he then says, "That's it, huh? Now, I understand. I had wondered who our 'little visitor' to this world back in January. I, thank you, for giving me what I need to know Terra."

Koharu thinks in her mind, shocked, _"He knows about Leafa?!"_ However, plenty of the other players are looking between Terra and [Heathcliff] in which they are wondering what they are talking about. Just then they hear a yell of anger and one of the players is charging at [Heathcliff].

The player shouts out, angrily, "You, son of a bitch! We believed in you and you played us all along! You're dead!"

[Kirito] shouts out, worriedly, "No, wait!" However, it is too late as [Heathcliff] uses his GM console to paralyze him causing him to collapse to the ground in heap and [Heathcliff] then paralyzes all of the players expect for Terra, Koharu, and [Usagi].

[Usagi] says, worriedly, "Everyone!"

Koharu asks, worriedly, "What are you doing?"

[Heathcliff] says, "Don't want the knowledge to spread too quickly. Personally, I didn't think that I would be so exposed so soon, but then again, life is just like an MMO. It is full of surprise twists and turns that you never expect. As such I shall await you at the top of Aincrad."

Terra yells out, strongly, "What makes you think that we are going to let you get away, Kayaba?"

[Heathcliff] asks, with a sly smile, "What makes you think that you can stop me?" [Heathcliff] says, "She may have given you 'inside information', but I doubt that she knows too much."

Terra says, with a sly smirk, "That's where you would be wrong." [Heathcliff] gives a curious look and Terra then shouts out, "Cardinal! System command! Engage emergency GM override! Password: Celestial Silver Millennium!"

Just then a female computer voice seems to call out throughout the chamber, "Password accepted! Emergency GM override engaged!"

[Heathcliff] gives a rare flabbergasted look and Terra shouts out, "Transfer GM privileges…!" [Heathcliff] then starts to type on his VR screen, but he is too late as Terra yells out, "…To player Koharu now!" Terra yelps as he is hit with a paralyzing effect, but a group of screens appears in front of Koharu.

Koharu yells out, excitedly, "It worked! I have them!"

Terra yells out, "Koharu!"

Koharu screams out, "Cardinal! System command! Suspend GM privileges for ID Heathcliff! Zero! Zero! Zero! Override zero!" Heathcliff grunt out as his screens vanish and a warning screens appears in front of him telling him that his GM privileges have been suspended. Koharu yells out, excitedly, "I did it! I've made him unable to use his GM privileges!"

Terra asks, weakly, "Great. Could you also remove the paralysis on us?"

Koharu says, nervously, "Um…"

Just then a child-like female voice says, "I can help." Everyone looks to see someone that exactly looks like Yui running up to Koharu.

Asuna says, weakly, "Yui-chan…"

Koharu asks this world's version of Yui, who will be called [Yui] to set her apart from her 'prime' counterpart, "Yui-chan, what are you doing here?"

[Yui] says, "Let me help save mommy and daddy."

Koharu says, with a nod, "Okay."

[Heathcliff] says, drawing his sword from his shield, "I think not."

[Heathcliff] charges in and Terra shouts out, "Watch out!" [Usagi] draws her sword to step in, but just then someone else comes in and forces [Heathcliff] to attack in which his sword clashes with another in which this person/player is revealed to be this world's Leafa, dressed like the 'prime' Leafa when she came into this SAO with Terra with a similar sword.

Terra says, surprised, "Leafa!"

This universe's Leafa, known as [Leafa] to keep her 'apart' from the Leafa that we know, says, "I'll hold him off! Free big brother and the others!"

[Yui] says, "Koharu!"

Koharu says, with a nod after getting over her surprise, "Right!"

[Usagi] prepares to join in, but [Leafa] says, "Don't! You need to protect the others!"

[Usagi] says, nervously, "But…!"

[Heathcliff] says, "Bad idea, my dear."

[Leafa] strains to hold back [Heathcliff], but Terra yells out, remembering Leafa in his mind, "You can do it, Leafa! We discovered that there is a strength beyond this 'death game'! Our own will!" Terra says, "This world isn't fake, but another world made by human technology! That means that we can influence this world, but you need to believe…No, you need to KNOW that you can win!"

[Heathcliff] says, with a sly smile, "Interesting words, but they may be just words."

[Leafa] says, strongly, "Well, I believe in Terra and Koharu, you fiend! Let's find out!" For several moments, it seems like [Heathcliff] is going to overwhelm [Leafa], but to his rare shock, [Leafa] screams out with power as she starts to push him back, she then throws him backwards as her sword starts to glow and split into two swords, and when [Heathcliff] blocks the attack, he grunts as he is sent skidding back nearly to the wall behind him with a look of pure shock, a rarity for any version of creator of SAO, in which we look to see [Leafa] with a pair of familiar swords: Elucidator and Dark Repulser. [Leafa] is looking on in shock while the players that were paralyzed get to their feet as their paralysis is taken away.

Koharu says, excitedly, "We did it!"

Terra says, "Great job, Koharu!"

Koharu says, looking at [Yui], "Yui-chan was very helpful in that! And we also did something else!" Koharu points ahead and everyone looks to see a sign by [Heathcliff] that says, 'Changed into mortal object' as his HP gauge in the yellow in which Koharu says, with a smile, "We got rid of his system projection too!"

Terra asks, excitedly, "You mean…?!"

Koharu says, with a nod, "Yep! He can be defeated and I also found out that he has himself registered as the final boss of SAO!"

There are gasps of shock with those words and [Asuna] asks, overhearing this, "That means…?"

Terra says, "When we defeat him, this game is over, but good!"

[Heathcliff] says, "Indeed. However, you need to beat me 'fair and square'. Unless my HP goes to zero in battle, it won't count."

[Yui] says, "He's right. He made it that any use of the GM privileges to inflict any stasis conditions to defeat him won't count and there is a 'backup final boss' that you will need to fight on the final floor if that happens."

Koharu says, "I guess that she was right about him."

[Heathcliff] says, "If you wish for final victory, then you must fight me as a warrior should."

Terra says, drawing his swords, "Why should we fight the way that you want? But personally, after all that you have done, I think that it would be ironic that you were beaten at your own 'death game'."

Koharu says, drawing her sword, "Not alone, Terra." Terra and Koharu look at each other and after a second, they nod their heads at an unsaid agreement.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' starts)

Koharu and Terra then rush forward and Terra yells out, "Leafa, stay with the others!"

[Usagi] shouts out, concerned, "Wait!"

[Kirito] says, concerned, "It is too dangerous!" However, Terra and Koharu continue their attacks in which [Heathcliff] battles Terra first with [Heathcliff] seemly holding his own against Terra easily.

Terra thinks in his mind, _"Leafa…The other Leafa told us that the greatest 'power' in this or any VR world isn't any item, weapon, or stats…It is our own will! We have to believe that we can win! We have to KNOW that we won! We have already won!"_ Soon enough, [Heathcliff] starts to struggle against Terra's attacks as they seem to come faster and stronger in which Terra hits [Heathcliff's] shield with such a blow that he is forced to stumble back causing him to give a look of rare shock in which the others are stunned. Terra yells out, strongly, "Switch!" Koharu then leaps forward to attack [Heathcliff] and [Heathcliff] blocks and parries all of Koharu's blows, but after several seconds, [Heathcliff] starts to struggle with Koharu in which the same result happens much to her surprise.

Koharu asks, amazed, "I did it?"

The others around are also stunned and [Asuna] says, amazed, "No way…"

Terra yells out, "We can do this! Together!"

Koharu gets over her surprise and says, with a nod, "Right!" Koharu and Terra charge [Heathcliff] together in which [Heathcliff] blocks Terra's sword with his sword while blocking Koharu's sword with his shield, but he is then shocked as Terra and Koharu ram him into the wall of the boss room behind [Heathcliff] causing him to fall to one knee with Terra and Koharu leaping away. Koharu yells out, excitedly, "We got him!"

Terra says, with a nod, "Yeah, but it isn't over yet."

[Heathcliff] says, "Remarkable. How did you acquire such power? It is nothing that you can acquire in the game."

Terra responds, "Our friend told us that the 'VR world' isn't a 'fake world'. It is just another form of reality. A reality created by human technology. And that means that we can control it with our own will. Humans made this world's rules and that means that we can overcome them! We overcame SAO itself with our own will, Kayaba! That's something that you can never control!"

[Heathcliff] stays silent in which, much to everyone's shock and surprise, he starts to laugh, not a maniacal or insane laugh like any classic villain, but a laugh of pure excitement in which Koharu asks, annoyed, "What's so funny?"

[Heathcliff] replies, with a sly smile on his lips, "Forgive, my dear. I wasn't laughing because I think that it is funny. Far from it. I'm laughing because you are correct and it excites me. You have done the impossible and overcame SAO with your own will. I wish to see the full potential of that power for myself." [Heathcliff] gets into a defensive stance and he tells Terra and Koharu, "It is as you will. No sword skills. No 'tricks'. We shall fight to see who's will is stronger! This shall be a gorgeous final battle! Let's end this, shall we?"

Terra says, strongly, "You got it!" Terra and Koharu charge at [Heathcliff], who charges right back at them, and there is a massive 'clang' of metal meeting metal in which, as we leave, we see Terra and Koharu clashing with [Heathcliff] as they prepare to go all-out in this 'battle royal' melee with [Kirito], [Usagi], and [Leafa] charging in to help them. How does this battle of this SAO end? Well, that's a story probably for another day…

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' ends)

 **The End…of the story, but the adventure has just begun…**

And there we go! I hope that everyone liked this one-shot idea. And to clear things up, this story is based on the new mobile phone game, **Sword Art Online: Integral Factor** , in which the main character of the story, basically, you, the player, and your partner, Koharu, meet up with that version of Leafa on the third floor of that Aincrad/SAO in which when Koharu accuses her of being a forest elf, Leafa protests in which she mentions being a Sylph and ALO. Well, in the SAO canon timeline, the Amusphere came in around May of 2023, Alfheim Online AKA ALO started in November of 2023, and Suguha Kirigaya AKA Leafa started playing ALO around January of 2024! If that's not time-travel of a kind or something like that, I don't know what it is! I hope that's cleared up, folks. I hope that this was worth the wait. Please read and review and no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	18. Our Little Elf Campaign

I know that I said that I would try to get this next one-shot out in ONE mouth, but it was far harder than I thought it would be. Sorry to have kept you waiting so long, everyone! Now, this time, it is back to the **Progressive** storyline in which tells Kirito's, Asuna's, and Usagi's side of the story of what happened on the second floor of Aincrad. To find out what's up, you know what you need to do, folks! Before I start, however, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 18: Progressive 2: Our Little Elf Campaign**

Note: This story takes place between **Chapter 2** and **Chapter 3** of **Sailor Moon Online**.

 _ **December 14, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three**_

Today, in the virtual world of Sword Art Online, the first VRMMO now turned 'death game', Kirito, Asuna, and our Moon Princess and niece of the death game's creator, Akihiko Kayaba, known as Usagi in SAO, are looking at vast forest of giant trees in the distance.

Asuna says, "Wow! Just this sight is worth all of the trouble getting up here!"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah. This is amazing."

Kirito says, with a smile and nod, "You bet."

Usagi tells Kirito, "We should send Argo the information that we have reached this floor."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Good idea, Usagi." Soon after, Kirito brings up his screen to type a message to Argo, ex-beta tester and information dealer for Aincrad and its entrapped players, giving her the information that battle with the second floor boss is finished and won in which they have reached the third floor of Aincrad.

When Kirito is done, Usagi says, "We should get going to the main town to activate the teleport gate."

Asuna nods her head and Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Actually…"

Usagi tells Kirito, "Let me guess: You want to get started right away with exploring and quests?"

Kirito asks, curiously, "Am I that obvious?"

Usagi says, with a smile, "It is written on your avatar's face." Kirito gives a nervous expression causing Asuna to giggle and Usagi says, with a sigh, "Well, actually, it is a good excuse for me not to go to town. I don't want to take a chance of getting spotted since it is known that 'Kayaba's niece' is trapped with them."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Geez! You have to stop doing this to yourself, Usagi."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "I know, Asuna."

Asuna gives another sigh and Asuna tells Kirito, "Kirito, do you know any quests that we can do where we can stay out of town for a while?"

Kirito says, "Actually, I do." Kirito points to a Y-intersection in the stone road that leads away from the exit/entrance that the three of them came through and he says, "The right intersection goes to the main city and the left side takes us through the forest which will lead to the next town."

Asuna says, "Well, we know which way we are going."

Kirito asks, curiously, "The left?"

Asuna responds, "Obviously."

Usagi tells Asuna, "Asuna…"

Asuna tells Usagi, "Just don't, Usagi-chan. Let's take on a few quests to get your mind off this." Asuna tells Kirito, "Okay, Kirito, let's head off."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Right. Follow me." Soon enough, the three of them head into the forest.

Usagi asks, "So, what are the enemies like around here?"

Kirito tells Usagi, "Well, around here, they are mostly animals and plants, so, they won't be using sword skills on us."

Usagi asks, "So, the enemies that you warned us about, the more humanoid ones, will be later on this floor?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Usually."

Usagi asks Kirito, "Usually?"

Kirito tells Usagi, "Remember, my information comes from the beta, but we have seen plenty of changes from the beta. I mean, it isn't too much, but a single chance could be the difference around here." Usagi nods her head in understanding and Kirito says, "Anyway, there is one pattern that the mobs here employ. They are going to draw us away from the path during battle. If you charge in, you could get lost."

Asuna asks, "Can't you just open your map and see the places that you've walked already?"

Kirito says, as he opens his menu, "The thing is…" Kirito enabled visible mode to allow Usagi and Asuna to see that the map screen was being displayed and it was all dim.

Asuna says, amazed, "It's all dim."

Kirito says, nodding his head, "This area has a name: The Forest of Wavering Mists. The map's hard to read and occasionally you walk into mist so thick, you can barely see thing."

Usagi says, plainly, "Hence the name."

Kirito says, with a nod of his head, "Bingo. The ironclad rule around here is: Don't leave the path or your party? Keep that in mind at all times."

Usagi says, "You might want to give a demonstration on that. We have a 'visitor' behind you." Kirito whips around to find tree-like monster, a Treant Sapling, reveal itself by starting to move.

Kirito thinks in his mind, mentally slapping himself, _"Constant vigilance!"_ Soon enough, Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna fought the Treant Sapling and they quickly defeated it.

When they were done, Asuna says, "I feel a bit guilty about that."

Kirito asks, curiously, "Why is that?"

Asuna says, "Well, the tree monster was just a sapling, right? It's not very eco-friendly to cut it down like that."

Usagi says, nervously, "Trees, yes. Tree monsters…that's a different story."

Kirito says, with a nod, "No kidding, Usagi. You wouldn't be saying that if you met its Elder Treant that he would grow up into. You would be saying that we got to chop down that sucker down now while we got the chance."

Usagi tells Kirito, "Kirito, you sound a bit like Kibaou."

Asuna says, annoyed tone in her voice, "Yeah. And we've had enough of him." They continue to walk onto they stop after a brief walk.

Kirito says, "It should be right around here."

Usagi asks, "Is this the start of the quest, Kirito?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yes. But the starting location of the quest NPC is quite random." Kirito asks, "How are yours' and Asuna's ears?"

Asuna puts her hands on her ears and Asuna asks, "Is that what you are into, Kirito? You have an ear thing?"

Kirito yells out, nervous tone in his voice, "N-N-No! I was referring to your hearing and not the shape of your ears!"

Usagi tells Kirito, with a kind smile, "She is just kidding, Kirito. She knows what you really meant."

Asuna says, with a smile, "That's right. Besides, in this situation, aren't we listening with our brains and not our eardrums. We are virtual avatars after all."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Good point." Usagi asks Kirito, "By the way, Kirito, what are we listening for?"

Kirito says, "The sound of swords clashing." Asuna's and Usagi's eyes widen in which all three of them start to listen for the sound of swords clashing with Usagi closing her avatar's eyes as well as focusing her mind.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Now, I'm glad that I had lessons on 'focusing my mind' with Pyro and Lita-chan. When I took them, I thought them a pain. Now, I have to thank her…whenever I get back."_ Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi listen in and after a short while, there is a faint sound of clashing of blades coming from the southwest.

Kirito asks Usagi and Asuna, "Do you hear it?"

Asuna and Usagi nod their heads in unison in which Usagi says, pointing southwest, "It's coming from that way."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Same here. Let's go."

As Kirito starts off into the forest, Asuna asks, "Is it safe to go into the forest?"

Kirito says, "As long as we start the quest safely, we'll be able to return to the path."

Asuna asks, curiously, "And if we don't?"

Kirito says, "Not a problem. I have a camping set. Let's go!"

Asuna asks, skeptically, "Camping?"

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a mental sigh, _"Not reassuring, Kirito."_ Usagi tells Asuna, with a kind smile, "An essential kit for the solo player."

Asuna says, with a smirk, "I'll bet." Soon enough, all three of them are going through the woods with Kirito making sure that they aren't sneaked attack by turning his Search skill to the highest that it can go at this time. After five minutes, the two of them then see a pair of NPC cursors up ahead and the flashes caused by blades colliding. At a massive tree trunk, Kirito stops and holds up his arm causing Asuna and Usagi to stop in their tracks as well. Kirito gives a 'quiet' motion with his hands and all three of them look around the tree trunk at the same time to see a pair of humanoid figures locked in clear combat.

The first combatant is a tall male with long, platinum blond hair tied in a back with a face exactly like a Scandinavian lead actor in a Hollywood film. This handsome male is wearing gleaming metal armor of gold and green with his equipment being a longsword and buckler of high-level as well.

The second combatant is a female with short smoky violet hair, the face of her skin is a darkly tanned tone, luscious red lips, and she is wearing black and violet armor shaped for a female warrior/knight with a dark colored curved saver and small kite shield that's obviously equal in strength to the sword and buckler of the male.

As the two humanoids continue to clash, Asuna asks, amazed, "Are those really NPC?"

Usagi tells Asuna, "I'm not surprised that you are so amazed, Asuna. When I first dived in VR, I couldn't help to be amazed at how realistic the NPC and other human-like characters were."

Kirito tells Asuna, with a nod, "It is understandable. Take a look of their ears." When Asuna looks at the humanoids' ears, he finds that they are pointy like fairies and such seem on television, movies, and the like.

Asuna asks, amazed, "Oh! They're both pointy! Which means…?"

Kirito replies, with a nod, "The man is a forest elf and the woman is a dark elf. Look above their heads." Asuna and Usagi look to see that both warriors had the golden exclamation marks as proof of being quest-starting NPCs.

Usagi asks Kirito, realizing something, "Kirito, is this…?!"

Kirito, realizing on what Usagi is going to ask, responds, "Shingo must have told you about it, huh?"

When Asuna looks at Usagi, she nods her head and Usagi tells Kirito, "Yep! You already know that the squirt bragged about all the fun that he was having in the beta and a lot of what I know about this game, the little that I know compared to you and other beta testers, came from him. But he really talked a lot about this. Plenty of what he told me was 'mixed up', but there was plenty of stuff that I understood which is the reason that I had the ability to get my special cloak."

Asuna asks, "Can you, two, explain to someone that doesn't know?"

Usagi says, a bit nervously, "Sorry, Asuna." Usagi tells Asuna, "This isn't an ordinary quest, Asuna. This is BIG one. And I mean a BIG one. It isn't an 'one-off' quest or a repeatable one like the one that gains Kirito's and my swords. From what my squirt of a brother told me, this is the start of the War Elf CAMPAIGN and it is like one big story which lasts several floors." Asuna was about to scream out in shock, but she stops herself in time.

Kirito says, with a plain tone, "Actually, it lasts to the ninth floor." Asuna's jaw nearly hits the ground and she barely manages to restrain herself from screaming out.

Asuna asks, annoyed, "Is there anything else that I need to know?"

Usagi says, "Well, from what my brother told me, you can only choose one side. That means we have to fight one to save and one to fight. It is either the dark elf or the forest elf."

Asuna says, looking at Kirito, "Well, it doesn't take a genius to know which side he choose." Kirito gives a nervous look and Asuna asks, plainly, "You chose the dark elf lady, didn't you?"

Kirito replies, nervously, "W-Well, yes, I did…b-but not because she was a lady. Because she was dark."

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Really convincing, Kirito."_

Asuna says, with a sigh, "That's fine. I wouldn't take the side of a man to cut down a woman, anyway. Let's help out the dark elf and defeat the forest elf."

Asuna prepared to pop out into the clearing and Usagi tells Asuna, "Whoa, hold up, Asuna!" Asuna looks at Usagi and she says, "You need to know this important bit of information. This first event of this quest is an auto-defeat event."

Asuna asks, a bit nervously, "Auto-defeat event?"

Kirito says, "It is a fight in games where you can't defeat the opponent under ANY circumstances, but after a certain point, like when a character's health is down to a certain point, the event ends and the game's story goes on."

Asuna asks, "So, this is one of those 'events'?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's right. Look at the gear that those two have. They are elite mobs. The dark elf is a Dark Elven Royal Guard and the forest elf is a Forest Elf Hallowed Knight. You usually don't meet them until the seventh floor."

Usagi says, commentary, "That's typical of auto-defeat events, Asuna. Early on in games, you fight enemies that usually appear later in the games because they are such a higher level and usually, you can't beat them at that stage."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Exactly. However, like Usagi said, this is an auto-defeat event. In this event, when our HP gets to the half-way mark, the 'elf partner' that we chose will use a special technique to end the battle. We just have to focus on defeat and not to panic when he start chopping our HP away. We have to stay calm and wait for the lady to do her thing. Losing control and running around is the worst thing that can happen here. You might accident pull in nearby mobs by accident."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "All right, but it just doesn't feel totally right with me. It feels like…like a cheat or 'cop out' to me."

Usagi says, with a smile, "It is the way that these games, especially RPG games, work Asuna. It is made to tell a great story. RPG games aren't just about the fighting, leveling up, and getting rare items and equipment." The three of them then prepared to leap out into the open to start the quest in which Kirito does a mental silent apology to both Usagi and especially, Asuna. When they leap into the clearing, the battling NPC elves turn their attention to them with their golden exclamation marks above their heads turning into question marks to indicate a quest in progress.

"What's humankind doing in this forest?!" the male elf shouts out.

The female dark elf says, "Do not interfere! Begone from this place!" However, Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna draw their swords and point them at the forest elf causing his expression to become cold and furious with his cursor gaining a blinking red border showing that he is about to become aggressive.

The forest elf says, "You fools…For the crime of siding with this dark elf scum, your blood will quench my sword's thirst."

Kirito says, starting to retort, "That…!"

However, Asuna interrupts and shouts out, "That's right, but it's you who will perish, you wife-abusing pig!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a sweat drop, _"Seriously, Asuna. Do you know how corny that sounds?!"_ Soon after, the forest elf's cursor goes from yellow to dark crimson in which the forest elf puts on a lovely, but haughty smile.

The forest elf says, "So be it! I will start with you, humans!

Kirito says, "Remember, focus on defense!"

Usagi says, with a nod while drawing her sword, "Got it!" However, Kirito and Usagi notice a certain 'gleam' in Asuna's eyes causing both of them to get nervous.

Kirito asks, nervously, "Um, focus…defense…?"

Asuna yells out, annoyed, "I know! I know!" Soon enough, Kirito, Usagi, Asuna, and the dark elf NPC fights against the forest elf, but then around fifteen minutes later, the forest elf's HP bar, which is in the red, hits zero.

The forest elf says, shocked, "This…can't be happening…" He then collapses to the ground and shatters into hundreds of data pixels.

Kirito says, muttering to himself, "This…can't be happening…" Kirito checks their HP bars in which he sees all three of them have only lost one-quarter of their HP, not even close to the yellow zone.

Asuna says, putting her rapier back into its sheath, "Well. He wasn't so tough after all."

Usagi says, amazed, "Yeah, I thought that he would be tougher than that." Usagi thinks in her mind, confused, _"This was supposed to be an auto-defeat event in the quest, right? That means that we shouldn't have been able to beat him! What the heck is going on? Did they change the story since Kirito and Sammy did this quest in the beta?!"_ On the meanwhile, Usagi looks at the dark elf knight and Usagi can't help to see shock, bewilderment, and confusion in her eyes that's really realistic in which Usagi had to remind herself that she was an NPC. Usagi then spots a bag of leaves was lying on the ground where the forest elf fell.

Kirito asks, nervously, "Gee, what's this?" Asuna gives an annoyed snarl as she goes over to pick up the key, but Kirito stops her in which Asuna glares at Kirito.

The dark elf knight then says, "At least, we can protect the sanctuary now." She then bends over and cradled the bag carefully in her black leather gloves in which she puts the bag into her leather waist pouch where then she then turns to face Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna. The dark elf knight does a bow and she says, "I must thank you. The first secret key has been protected. Your assistance is appreciated. Come with me to our base and the commander will wish to reward you for your help." Just then a question mark appears over the dark elf knight's head to show quest progress.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Well, it looks like the quest is going, but by the looks of Kirito's expression, it isn't going the way that Kirito remembers in the beta."_

Asuna tells the dark elf knight, "In that case, we'd be honored."

The dark elf knight looks at Asuna and Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Uh oh! NPC don't respond unless the player gives a clear 'yes or no' reply."_

Kirito planned to give a simpler reply, but the dark elf knight says, "Very well. The base camp is through the south end of the woods." Soon enough, Kirito and Usagi notice that the quest log updated and the golden question mark vanishes over the dark elf knight's head in which a fresh HP bar added to the list of players that are part of this party of three in which are now four. Usagi looks at the bar to see that the dark elf knight NPC is named Kizmel in which her full name listed is Kizmel: Dark Elven Royal Guards.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Well, it shows that she is an NPC. Players can't replicate monster titles in their names…through I don't think I should be calling someone like her a monster. She is an NPC…isn't she?"_ While Usagi is new to SAO, she has had the NervGear since it first came out and in fact, she was the one who first tested the NervGear itself since, which is now a sobering fact, the creator of the NervGear and SAO is her uncle, Akihiko Kayaba, in which she was a beta tester for other VR games before SAO. So, she is no 'rookie' when it comes to Full-Dive VR gaming experience unlike Asuna, in which SAO is her Full-Dive VR game EVER. In that she has experience dealing with virtual NPC characters in other games before and that experience is telling her that Kizmel's speech and mannerisms are too…realistic…very 'nature' for a living person…it was like Kizmel was more like the players than the NPCs. Usagi glances over to Kirito and Usagi can tell that he has his own 'curious' expression on his face. Usagi sneaks over to Kirito and she whispers, "This isn't what happened in the beta, is it?"

Kirito responds, in a whisper, "Not at all."

Usagi asks Kirito, in a whisper, "Kirito, do you think that Kizmel seems…?"

Kirito replies, with a nod, "…all too real. Yeah. I'm not surprised that you noticed, Usagi."

Usagi asks Kirito, in a whisper and curious tone, "Really?"

Kirito tells Usagi, in a whisper, "You said it yourself. You may not be a beta tester for SAO, but you were a 'tester' for the NervGear itself and a beta tester for VR games before SAO. So, you would have experience dealing with NPC in other games before SAO."

Usagi whispers, nervously, "Yeah, I guess that's why it wouldn't be surprising to you." Usagi asks, in a whisper and curious tone, "So, now what?"

Kirito tells Usagi, in a whisper while replying, "All we can do is follow along with the quest." Soon enough, the four of them reach a very large camp with multiple black flag planted all around it.

Asuna says, "That's didn't take long."

The dark elf knight, Kizmel, faces our group and she says, what seems like a hint of pride in her voice from Kirito's POV, "A Forest-Sinking charm has been cast on the camp. You would not have found it so easily without me."

Asuna says, excitedly, "Ooh, a charm? Is that like magic? I thought there wasn't any magic in this world!"

Kirito winches from that and Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Kirito is worried that an error might be cause because Kizmel might not able to answer the question."_

Kirito starts to say, "Listen, Asuna, that's not…"

Kizmel says, interrupting Kirito, "Our charms aren't up to the level of magic. If anything, they are just the afterglow of the great magic of old. When we were cut free from the earth, the people of Lyusula lost all magic…"

Kirito then gives a look of surprise and Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Guess Kirito was wrong about Kizmel. She must be a really advanced NPC."_ However, what Usagi doesn't know is that Kirito wasn't surprised about Kizmel able to answer the question, it is what Kizmel said and a small revelation about SAO itself has been revealed to Kirito. The four of them find themselves in front entrance to the camp where they find two dark elf soldiers, wearing heavier armor than Kizmel and wielding glaives, standing in front of the entrance where Kizmel walks towards them.

Asuna asks Kirito, in a whisper, "I might as well ask: We're not going to have to fight in this base camp, are we?"

Kirito responds, in a whisper with a nervous tone, "We won't…We shouldn't. As long as we don't attack any of them, at least. Or maybe they just cancel your progress and kick you out…"

Asuna whispers, with a glare, "You'd better not attempt to find out."

Usagi whispers, "He won't, Asuna. Kirito isn't sure because the quest is going differently than it should have in the beta."

Asuna asks, curiously and in a whisper, "Really?"

Kirito whispers with a nod, "Yes. We shouldn't have been able to defeat the forest elf, remember. As Usagi said, it was an 'auto-defeat' event. When HP reached half-way, Kizmel would have used her special technique to end the fight."

Usagi asks Kirito, in a whisper, "So, everything is different than what you went through in the beta?"

Kirito whispers in reply, a bit nervously, "Not too radically, Usagi." The four of them walk into the camp and look around in which Usagi can see that it is big with about twenty tents of black and violet of various sizes all over the space of the camp, looking as glamorous as the dark elves that popular the camp. Kirito says, "Wow. The game is a lot bigger than it was in the beta."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Was it a different place before?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah, but that's not a strange thing. Most of these locations related to the campaign are temporary instances."

Asuna asks, confused, "Insetances?"

Usagi tells Asuna, "It's a location that's temporary created for each party taking the quest, you could say Asuna. Some quests, like the one on the first floor that I played to get the sword, block off the general area from general access if someone's talking to the NPC. In this case, this is map specially designed for us as we are doing the quest."

Asuna asks, curiously, "So, we've temporary vanished from the third-floor map to move around this base? Can we leave anytime?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah, we should." Kirito is giving Usagi a real big mental 'thank you' in his mind and in this case, he is glad to have another dedicated gamer to explain the situation to someone that's new not only to just VR and VRMMO, but to gaming period. The three of them met up the dark elf commander of the base and he was delighted to see the return of Kizmel and Jade Key, which was the item that Kizmel put in her bag, which granted the three of them considerable rewards and equipment added to the stuff that won in the battle against the forest elf knight. They also got a choice of several items with Kirito settling on a ring that gave him an extra point in strength, Asuna chose an earring that added a point to agility, and Usagi chose a bracelet that helps with Search skills. While Usagi has Search Skills of her own, the bracelet improves those skills by extending that her Search Skill reaches out and it also can give alerts that enemies are nearby including enemies that are hiding that can normally get past a Search Skill like the Treant Sapling did a while ago through it doesn't give the exact location of the hidden enemies.

After they left the tent, Kizmel tells the three players, "Warriors of humankind, allow me to thank you again for your help. I hope that you will assist in our next operation."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "W-We'd be happy to help."

Kizmel asks, "Now that I think of it, I have not heard your names yet. What are they?"

Both Kirito and Usagi give looks of surprise and Usagi thinks in her mind, _"What the?! I never heard of an NPC asking for names before! But then again, when you create your character and give your name in certain RPG games…"_

Kirito tells Kizmel, a bit nervously, "My name is Kirito."

Kizmel replies, "Ah, your human names are difficult to pronounce. Is it…Kirito?" Kirito repeats his name and Kizmel repeats it in which Kirito confirms that Kizmel got it right. Afterwards, Kizmel does the same with Asuna and Usagi.

When Kizmel is done, Usagi thinks in her mind, looking at Kizmel, _"Incredible. She learned our names quite fast. And in fact, she is learning. Is Kizmel really an NPC?"_

Kizmel tells Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, "Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, please call me, Kizmel. I will leave the timing of our departure up to you. If you wish to return to your human town, I can send you nearby with another charm or you can spend the night in one of our tents."

Asuna answers, "In that case, we will gratefully accept your hospitality."

Kizmel responds, "Perhaps you should save your thanks. After all, without a spare tent, you will need to share mine. It will be a tight fit for all four of us, but you are welcome."

Asuna then states, "No, we'd be happy to…Wait! Four of us?"

Asuna is unable to speak and Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Thank you. We'd be happy to use it."

Kizmel says, "Good. I will be here within the grounds, so call upon me if you should need anything. So long for now." After Kizmel has left for the dining tent in the camp, Asuna stays still for several second before looking at Kirito with a mixture of expressions on her face.

Asuna asks, "Is it possible to back out and have her charm us over to the town?"

Kirito replies, nervously, "Um…no."

Usagi says, with a nervous smile, "Kind of figured THAT much." A short time afterwards, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are inside of Kizmel's tent which is quite large where there are luxurious pelts spread across the ground, oddly shaped heater that emitted an orange glow and warm, and the fabric that the tent is made of thickly woven fabric that can block out all sounds from the outside. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Tight fit for four? This place has plenty of room for all four of us and then some!"_ Usagi then sees Asuna gently force Kirito to the left side of the tent and traced a line to create a 'border'.

Asuna tells Kirito, "That's your spot. Imagine a border right here."

Kirito asks, "And what happens if I attempt to invade the border?"

Asuna retorts, "This camp isn't considered a safe zone, is it?"

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"You had to ask, Kirito."_

Kirito tells Asuna, nervously, "So, I don't mind sleeping outside, if you, two, prefer. I have got a sleeping bag and everything…"

Asuna says, "It's fine as long as you respect the border…" Asuna then turns to Usagi and she says, "Oh, Usagi…"

Usagi tells Asuna, as Usagi turns to walk away, "It's okay. I'll be outside."

Asuna asks Usagi, "Why?"

Kirito tells Usagi, "If it is about me, like I told Asuna, I've got a camping gear…"

Usagi responds, with a kind tone, "No! No, it isn't you, Kirito. I…I…" Usagi then sighs and she says, with a kind tone, "I don't get a lot of sleep lately, that's all." Usagi then exits the tent in which Kirito and Asuna look at each other, knowing EXACTLY what Usagi is implying by those words, which causes both of them to gain looks of concern on their faces. Outside of the tent, Usagi is sitting down on the ground and looking around the camp. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"I'm starting to be really glad that I took those lessons on meditation and such from Pyro and Lita-chan. Personally, I thought that they were a pain in the ass especially since we had freed Galaxia from Chaos, but now, I'm glad that I went through them. I need them to calm down these days."_ Usagi gives a sigh and she thinks, _"Ever since I became Sailor Moon, it is the same old thing. After one enemy is defeated, another comes up. But every single time, I had my friends, Darien-kun, and my powers to help me. Heh! When I started as Sailor Moon, all I wanted was to be a regular girl and now, look at me. The one thing that I really…really wanted and NEEDED my powers…But it would be one thing if I was trapped in 'another world'! Heck, I was trapped in 'alternate dimensions' before! Heck, I can't even count the number of times that the girls and I have gone through 'alternate dimensions', 'pocket dimensions', and whatnot fighting our battles. But I was IRL and I had my broach and the Silver Crystal! I don't have them now, so, I can't transform…Heck, I don't even have my real body here! My mind…My spirit is trapped in a virtual avatar that looks exactly like my real self. But then again, I have to treat this like my real self. This isn't a game. This is life or death survival battle. A survival battle forced onto me and the others trapped here…by my own uncle. Two months and I still don't understand why. Why?! What is the point of trapping us here?! What is the point of all these deaths?!"_ As tears start to stream down Usagi's virtual cheeks, she shakes her head and wipes her tears in which she thinks, _"I can't think about that. I need to survive to confront him. Most likely, he is at the top of Aincrad…he has to be the final boss of the game. And we have a LONG way to go until we get there. Hopefully, a lot of people will survive. Too many people have died already."_ Usagi then opens up her menu in which she goes over her items and equipment causing her to be curious about one item in which she materializes it, proving to be a glass container of a kind, in which Usagi's eyes widen when she displays the items properties causing her to think, shocked, _"Whoa! This bottle…With SAO at its current stage, this could be real 'game changer'. It is like having an extra skill slot! I wonder if Kirito or Asuna…"_ Usagi returns the crystal/glass container to her storage and deactivates her menu causing her to think about what she just found.

But then a female voice calls out, "Is the tent to your disliking?" Usagi yelps in which she whips to the source of the voice to see Kizmel looking at her.

Usagi replies, nervously, "No! No! I…I'm just not tired, that's all."

Kizmel says, with a nod, "I understand, Usagi. I'm afraid that there isn't much that can be offered to you, Kirito, and Asuna at this camp, but you are free to use the tent as much as you wish. There is also a dining tent when you need nourishment whenever you need it and there is a simple bathing tent as well."

Usagi says, "Thank you, Kizmel. I'll remember that."

Kizmel nods her head in understand and she asks, "Is Kirito and Asuna within the tent?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yes."

Kizmel says, nodding her head, "I shall inform them of this as well."

Usagi replies, with a nod, "Thank you." Kizmel walks away to her tent and leaving Usagi alone with her thoughts in which she thinks in her mind, _"Kizmel seems different than a regular NPC that I know of. I've been in this game long enough to tell that she is different from the NPC that I met so far. While the NPC in this and other games that I was seemed 'realistic', you can tell that they weren't really 'alive' per say or something like that. But Kizmel, she…she's different. The way that she acts…she moves…and how she expresses…she isn't different from any players that I have seen. Why is Kizmel different from other NPC that I've seen so far?"_ Usagi is then broken from her thoughts as she looks to see Asuna dragging Kirito out of the tent causing Usagi to sigh at this in which Usagi goes over to the two of them.

Kirito notices Usagi and he says, "Hey, Usagi."

Usagi asks, curiously, "What's up?"

Kirito says, "I was about to tell Asuna about the NPC blacksmith around here. Unlike other ones, this one is really high level and it is best that we upgrade our weapons to maximum."

Usagi asks, amazed, "Really?" Usagi is amazed by this since NPC blacksmiths aren't best with upgrades and creating new weapons, but that's all that they had especially with the first PLAYER blacksmith, Nezha, becoming a fighter after the whole 'weapon's scam'.

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah. It is the best one possible."

Usagi says, with a smile, "That sounds good." Usagi asks Asuna, "What do you say?" However, Asuna doesn't immediately reply and looks at her sword, mulling over it.

Asuna tells Kirito, "Kirito, remember what you said before? About melting down a sword to use as material for a new one?"

Kirito asks, curiously, "Yeah, that's right?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "Could I have that done here with this blacksmith?"

Usagi asks Asuna, knowing what Asuna is implying, "Asuna, are you sure?"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Yes, Usagi. If we're going to brave the risk of attempting to upgrade for a sword, which will be useless in a few days, I would rather have it being reborn here."

Kirito says, "I see. All right, I'm sure it'll make for a powerful blade. Well, let's go see that blacksmith's tent…"

However, Asuna grabs Kirito and she says, sternly, "The bath comes first!"

As Asuna drags Kirito away, Usagi tells them, "You, two, go on ahead."

Asuna asks Usagi, curiously, "You don't want to take a bath?"

Usagi says, with a kind smile, "I'll take one later." Usagi then takes off as Asuna and Kirito look at each other in which they head off. It isn't that Usagi doesn't want to take a bath and in fact, she wants to take a bath badly, despite the fact that you don't really need to 'clean' your avatars, since you don't get dirty and/or smelly in this virtual world, Usagi would have to take off the white cloak that conceals her face and while she trusts Kirito and Asuna, she doesn't want any risk towards them if it becomes known that they know what Usagi looks like despite how the whole reason sounds ridiculous. Usagi heads to the blacksmith's tent and she looks to see dark elf blacksmith turn towards her, snort, and return to his work causing Usagi to think, nervously, _"Oh, boy. A tough old blacksmith type through with elves, you can't be certain about their age. They tend to live VERY long lives. Through tough is a different story and that might be an understatement."_ Usagi then takes out her Anneal Blade +8 sword, her current main sword, in which she has two backup Anneal Blade +6, each have different properties, in which she thinks, _"My main Anneal Blade can take me to the next floor, but after that, I'm going to need an upgrade. You really helped me out a lot ever since I first got you. Thank you. You may be just a mass of data, but you have been a good 'partner' and hopefully, in your new form, you will help me out even more."_ Usagi asks the NPC blacksmith, "Can you please convert this sword into ingots?" The blacksmith takes the sword off Usagi's hands, looks at it, nods his head, and gently places it into the forget in which the flames soon glow a blue-green engulfing the sword causing it to glow red as it turns into rectangular block looking around ten inches to a foot in length. When it was done, the elf blacksmith reaches out with a gloved hand and picked the block out of the fire in which he hands it to Usagi. Usagi takes the block, which is an ingot, and the ingot has a platinum-silver shimmering glow to it. She takes the ingot, puts it in her inventory, and she then uses the menu to craft a one-handed sword for her giving the needed materials including the ingot that was her Anneal Blade +8. The blacksmith takes the materials, puts them in the forge, and paying no attention to Usagi, he gets to work on the sword and he starts to pound on the material in which Usagi looks on in silent attention as the blacksmith pounds the material where she gets a silent breath of relief as he strikes it thirty times, which would make a weapon equal to the original Anneal Blade. However, the blacksmith keeps striking it over and over again until he reaches sixty strikes. The ingot in the flames then 'morphs' in a one-handed long sword of very good quality. The hilt was a gleaming silver with a golden handguard along with a silver blade that had an Asian dragon engraved onto the blade. With the sword down, the blacksmith grabs it by the hilt and he looks it.

In a gruff voice, the blacksmith says, "Good sword." The blacksmith goes through the sheaths and bring out a bright dark brown sheath in which he puts the swords into the sheath.

When he hands the sword to Usagi, she says, with a kind smile, "Thank you very much." Usagi then uses her menu to 'examine' the blade in which she finds out that her new sword is called 'Dragon Cutter' and much to Usagi's shock, she finds out that it has twenty upgrade attempts. Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, _"Oh, wow! Twenty upgrades?! That's more than double my Anneal Blade! Cool! And this sword is strong!"_ She then attaches the sheath to her right side and she thinks in her mind, _"I do have spear upgrade ingots from that pain in the ass quest back on the second floor. It won't work with this sword since it is over ten upgrade attempts, but it can't hurt to upgrade my other two Anneal Blades."_ Soon after, Usagi had upgraded her spare swords, the other two Anneal Blade +6 swords, from +6 to +8 successfully, giving each sword different properties. After returning her two backup swords to her inventory storage, Usagi thinks in her mind, _"I'm glad that something nice has happened for once! I'll go see if Kirito and Asuna are done and tell them the good news!"_

( **A short time afterwards** )

Right now, we find Usagi with Kirito in front of the bathing tent and holding out her new one-handed sword, but when Kirito examined it, Kirito gave a flabbergasted look of shock and nearly screamed out in which Usagi managed to silence him before he screamed out.

Usagi tells Kirito, nervously, "Geez, Kirito! You want Asuna and the whole camp gawking at us?!"

Kirito tells Usagi, a bit nervously, "Sorry, Usagi."

Usagi asks Kirito, "I know that this sword is quite a bit overblown, but is that a big deal? I've played RPG and MMORPG in which there has been a 'lucky break' in forging swords that are really good and not causing a problem in the game. Could it really be that much of a problem?"

Kirito tells Usagi, "You have a point and in this isn't really much of a 'game' anymore. In this situation, every one of us still trapped in here needs every edge that we can get."

Usagi asks Kirito, "And if you are worried about management, namely GMs: Kirito, who else, but Kayaba would have control of SAO? And would anyone want to help him at all?"

Kirito says, going into deep thought, "When you say that…"

Usagi says, "I really can't say that anyone is helping him at all, but I don't think people are going around, trapped people in something that should be a fun game, turn it into a 'death game', and doing that just to 'do it'."

Kirito says, "You have a good point, but as smart as Kayaba is, how is maintaining this world? He is somewhere out there and he must have some kind of 'link'…"

Usagi tells Kirito, "Good point, Kirito, and who knows? But since he was planning this for long time, he could have a base with all sorts of stuff that are linked with the SAO mainframe in which he is keeping an eye on things."

Kirito says, nodding his head in agreement, "I agree and you have a point, Usagi. Even if he is keeping on eye on everything, he can't handle every single detail." Kirito says, "Asuna is wanting to create a new sword from her Wind Fleuret. I think that we should wait and see what happens with her."

Usagi asks Kirito, "Are you sure?"

Kirito says, "I'm sure that everything will be all right." Soon after, Asuna emerges from the tent and looks at Usagi and Kirito.

Asuna says, "Hey, Usagi."

Usagi says, with a smile, "Hi, Asuna."

Asuna sees Usagi's new sword and she asks, excitedly, "Oh, wow! You got a new sword?"

Usagi says, with a smile, "Yep. It is called 'Dragon Cutter'."

Asuna responds, with a nod, "Dragon Cutter?" Usagi nods her head in which Asuna and she says, with a smile, "It's great. I hope that my sword turns out just as good."

Usagi tells Asuna, with a smile, "I'm sure that it will. You take good care of your rapier."

Asuna says, with a smile, "Thanks, Usagi." Kirito is sure that it will take more than for Asuna's forging to go well.

 _ **December 15, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three**_

Within the dark elf camp, we find Usagi, without her classic hooded cloak covering her head and face, sleeping in a simple camping bag in front of Kizmel's tent where Kizmel, Kirito, and Asuna are sleeping in which Usagi wakes up and she groggily gets to her feet in which she looks at her 'internal clock' showing that it is near two o' clock in the morning.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Two o' clock, huh? That's the best sleep that I had this whole thing. First time, I had ever slept for around seven hours in two months."_ Usagi quickly takes out her cloak and covers herself up with it. She stretches her arms and legs through she knows that there isn't a point due to her 'body' being a virtual avatar. She then hears the fap covering the entrance of the tent open and she looks to see Kirito coming out of it.

Kirito asks Usagi, a bit surprised, "Usagi?"

Usagi says, plainly, "Hey, Kirito."

Kirito asks Usagi, "Why aren't you in the tent?"

Usagi asks Kirito, with a kind tone, "Really?"

Kirito nods his head and he asks, "Have you seen Kizmel?"

Usagi asks, curiously, "She isn't in the tent?"

Kirito says, "No. And I don't think she has gone out of the camp since her HP bar is still the same." Kirito and Usagi look around, don't see Kizmel, and Kirito then heads around the great command tent in the camp with Usagi following him. The two of them go around the tent to find a grassy area with a large tree in the grassy area with three simple, yet, beautiful grave markers craved of wood. It was there that they find the lovely dark elf woman in which she is in tunic and tights as well as without her trademark armor. Kizmel hears their footsteps and turns towards them.

Kizmel says, "Kirito, the morrow will be tough for you and Usagi if you don't get your rest."

Usagi says, "I slept better than I have been doing lately."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Same here. Thanks for letting us use your tent."

Kizmel tells Kirito in reply, "I don't mind. It is too large for me alone." Kizmel says, looking at Usagi, "However, I shall that Usagi prefers sleeping under the stars…"

Usagi says, nervously, "Y-You see, it isn't like that I didn't like the tent…"

Kizmel says, with a kind smile, "It is no problem, Usagi. I do not believe that it is I, your comrades, or the tent that has made you uneasy. It is easy to see that you are deep in thought and sleeping under the stars does help one clear one's thoughts." Usagi and Kirito can't help to wonder if Kizmel knows what Usagi is thinking or has her own understanding of Usagi's 'feelings'.

Kirito looks at one of the grave markers and he asks, "Tilnel?"

Kizmel says, with a solemn sigh, "My sister. She lost her life in the first battle after we descended to the floor this mouth." This phrase reveals to both Kirito and Usagi that the dark elves and most likely, the forest elves as well, understood that this world is a massive castle of Aincrad was made of numerous stacked floors and might also be tied into the story of the game world itself through it is no help in their and all of the other surviving players' situation of being trapped in this, now, dangerous, virtual realm.

Kirito asks, "Was Tilnel a knight too?"

Kizmel replies, solemnly, "No. My sister was an herbalist. Her job on the battlefield was to tend to the wounded. She never carried anything larger than a dagger. She was at the rear vanguard when the forest elves' falconers ambushed us from behind…" Kizmel stops in silence which made Kirito and Usagi realize how that story ends.

Usagi says, kindly, "I'm sorry, Kizmel."

Kizmel says, with a kind smile, "You are too kind, Usagi." Kizmel then says, "I have no chairs or blankets, but both of you ought to sit. There's no need to stand around."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Um, sure." Usagi and Kirito then sit next to Kizmel and the female knight picked up a leather skin, pull the plug, and took a swig of the liquid inside of the pouch. She then passes the pouch onto Kirito, who does the same. When Kirito passes it onto Usagi, not to be rude, she also take a taste in which she winches from the sweet and sour taste as well as burning sensation of alcohol in the back of her throat. Usagi hands back the pouch in which Kizmel pours the remaining contents on top of the grave.

Kizmel says, "This was her favorite: Moontear wine made of moontear herbs. I snuck some out of the castle, hoping to bring it to her. In the end, she never had a sip…" Despite knowing that this is just Kizmel's backstory that the game made for her, Usagi can't help to feel sympathy for her since she is a 'big sister' herself and if anything happened to her younger sibling, who she can't help to wonder what he is doing now, she would be devasted as Kizmel is. Kizmel says, "When I accepted the mission to retrieve the Jade Key yesterday, I was prepared to die. Part of me hoped have hoped for it. At best, I might have taken the forest elf down with me, otherwise I would have simply lost. But it seems like fate has helped you guild me away from my death. And after I had sworn that no gods existed in this forsaken place anymore…"

Usagi tells Kizmel, "I think that your sister would have wanted you to live on…for both your sakes."

Kizmel says, with a smile, "Yes, it would be Tilnel. Even through I can't see your face, Usagi, I believe that you are a lot like my sister."

Usagi says, nervously, "Thank you, Kizmel."

( **Later that same day** )

Right now, we find Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and Kizmel walking through the Forest of Wavering Mist as they start the second quest of the massive campaign quest known as 'Vanquishing the Spiders' which involves finding a nest of poisonous spider monsters that were causing havoc on dark elf patrol missions. Since the location of the nest is randomly generated, Kirito knows that they have fight spiders until they find the nest.

Kirito asks Asuna and Usagi, "I need to ask: How many antidote potions do you have?"

Asuna says, "Three in my pouch and sixteen in the inventory."

Usagi says, "About the same."

Kirito says, "Same here." Kirito then realizes something and he asks her, nervously, "Kizmel? Do you have any antidote potions?"

Kizmel replies, with pride in her voice, "I do have a few, just in case, but I do not need them. I have this." Kizmel displays her right gloved hand to show a ring on her right index finger in which the ring has a green gemstone.

Usagi asks, amazed, "It's pretty. What is it?"

Kizmel responds, with a smile, "I received it along with my sword from Her Majesty when I was knighted. It allows me to use a purifying charm once every ten minutes." Kirito gives an awe-struck look on his face, knowing that Kizmel's ring is a top level item, one of the rarest kind there is, and Kizmel says, "I cannot give it to you much as you might like it. For one thing, the ring draws upon what little magic is left in the blood of Lyusula, so, you humans would not be able to use it, I suspect."

Kirito retorts, nervously, "W-Why do you say that? I don't want your ring at all. I'm just checking to ensure that you're equipped to deal with poisons."

Usagi thinks in her mind, sarcastically, _"Oh, you so DON'T want that ring, Kirito."_

Asuna says, with a grin, "That's right. You're a boy, so you would never stoop to demanding a ring from a girl."

Kirito asks, annoyed, "Of course…Wait, are you saying that the reverse would be possible?"

Asuna yells out, annoyed, "I wasn't saying that! When did I ever beg you for a ring?!"

Kirito shouts out, annoyed, "I-I wasn't referring to you specifically!" Kirito and Asuna glare at each other and Usagi sighs at this in which Usagi's Search Skill, helped by her new bracelet, goes off as she detects danger along with Kizmel.

Kizmel tells Kirito and Asuna, "Kirito. Asuna. I hate to interrupt your chitchat…"

Usagi stops Kizmel and when Kizmel looks at her, she says, with a sigh, "Let me handle this. I'll use a classic human method." Usagi then screams at Kirito and Asuna, strongly, "Hey, lovebirds!"

Kirito and Asuna shout out at Usagi in unison, looking at her, "What?!" Usagi then points in one direction and Kirito and Asuna look to see a giant spider monster, known as a Thicket Spider, appears in which Kirito and Asuna draw their swords.

Kirito tells Asuna, "Prepare for battle Asuna! It's only direct attack is a bite attack. But watch out for the thread it shoots from its ass, it'll slow you down!"

Asuna says, "Understood!" She then looks a dirty look at Kirito for his choice of wording.

Usagi tells Asuna, "Asuna, just drop it okay! It is a spider monster, it does a lot what a spider does, and there are few words to describe its rear end!"

Asuna says, annoyed, "Okay! Okay!" The three of them then tackle the Thicket Spider and they handle it quick well with Asuna taking out 40 percent of its health with Kirito coming into the fight, however, getting distracted for a second nearly getting hit with a bite attack, but, using the **Crescent Moon** , a Martial Art kicking skill, to strike back in which Usagi uses her new Dragon Cutter to finish it off where it shatters into hundreds of pixel fragments with Kirito amazed by the power of strength of Usagi's new sword.

Kirito tells Usagi, excitedly, "Way to go, Usagi!"

Usagi says, nervously, "Thanks, Kirito." Kirito and Usagi then share a high-five and the two of them look at Usagi's new sword.

Asuna says, with a nod, "Your sword is amazing, Usagi."

Usagi says, with a smile, "Thanks."

Kizmel's voice booms out, "Our camp's blacksmith have been known to produce excellent work." Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi look to see Kizmel, standing with her arms crossed, and she tells Usagi, "However, a weapon is of no use if one does not have the ability to wield its full potential. You have shown much promise, Usagi."

Usagi says, nervously, "Thank you, Kizmel."

Kizmel asks, curiously, "Curiously, what is the meaning of that gesture that you just did?" Kirito and Usagi glance at each other, wondering how to explain this to Kizmel, an NPC resident of this virtual world.

Asuna then says in reply, "It's a human gesture meant to congratulate one another for their effort." Soon after, Asuna performed the same 'gesture' to Kizmel that Kirito did with Usagi in which Kizmel took in the whole thing.

Kizmel says, "I see. We, elves, do not make it practice to touch others often, but this is not unwelcome." Kizmel replicates the 'gesture' with Asuna and Usagi causing Kirito to be reminded of the first day of SAO with Klein, but he regains focused and the four of them are continuing on their quest. After more battles with spider monsters, they find themselves looking at the gaping maw of a nature cave against the side of a small hill with multiple spiders, the size of real-life spiders, darting around the entrance.

Asuna asks, annoyed, "Do we have to get rid of the little ones too?"

Kirito responds, "No, those are just critters."

Asuna asks, confused, "What? Do they jiggle?"

Kirito looks at Asuna in surprise and Usagi retorts, "Critters, Asuna. It is an MMO term for background animals. They aren't NPC or monsters. Think of them just like the trees, grass, hills, and whatnot. They just add to the atmosphere."

Asuna asks, annoyed, "You know? I'm getting tired of asking about every single game term, so why don't you create a slang glossary for me?"

Kizmel says, with a giggle, "Your words haven't been unified yet, it seems. I supposed that's not a surprise for there were nine nations of humankind when the Great Separation happened." Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi look at each other and unknown to Kizmel, the word 'Separation' had a meaning to them through not based on the backstory of the game, of which our three players are discovering about. 'Separation' for Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi was when many players were suddenly disconnected from the game and stuck in limbo for about an hour before returning to the game. It caused chaos and alarm at first, but they quickly figured out that it was due to the fact that their bodies were being disconnected from the game and rushed to a proper hospital to take care of them since Kayaba allowed them to be disconnected for a few hours before the NervGear 'fail-safe' destroyed the person's brain which was most likely he planned to happen giving the people on the 'outside' such a time limit. In fact, Usagi, during the first three days of SAO when she was in her 'shocked condition', was the first to go through this 'Separation' and she figured that it was done for her first due to the fact that she was related to Kayaba with her body being taken to a hospital, probably somewhere in Juuban, where she could be put under armed guard. For good or for ill, she doesn't know, but she figured that the authorities will realize that she and her family had NO knowledge of what was going to happen in which she is put under armed guard to ensure her safety from reprisals against her for what Kayaba had done. Usagi shakes her heads to keep her thoughts for going into 'darker places' while Kizmel says, not knowing of Usagi's 'internal distress', Come, let us investigate the hole. We will need more concrete information to bring to the commander about the spiders."

( **A bit later** )

Usagi, Kirito, Asuna, and Kizmel are walking through the cavern which gives the classic 'natural cavern dungeon' look.

Asuna says, annoyed, "I don't like these natural dungeons." Usagi and Kirito nods their heads in agreement with Asuna's statement.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"I don't think that I'm going to get used to this."_ As Sailor Moon, Usagi had quite a few adventures in this kind of environment, so, this isn't new to her because she had quite a bit experience before being trapped in SAO due to her 'superhero career'. However, it doesn't mean that it is any easier for her than Kirito and Asuna in which the three of them are carrying torches, but the torches are limited in light, a 'faint glow', and they would extinguish if dropped in water. While their swords are one-handed swords in which they can still fight, Kirito felt better with one hand free for various reasons.

As they continued on, Asuna asks, curiously and in a whisper, "Hey, is this dungeon one of those…instance things? Or is it?"

Usagi tells Asuna, in a whisper, "There is more of a public dungeon which means that it can be accessed by all players not players that are doing a certain quest."

Kirito tells Asuna, with a whisper, "The reason that it is public is because that there are other quests that this dungeon aside from ours."

Asuna asks, in a whisper, "Like what?"

Kirito responds, "There's a pet finding quest at the next village past the forest and another one from the main city of the…" Kirito's mouth then slams shut as his eyes grow wide causing Asuna and Usagi to look at Kirito confused as he whips his head behind him.

Usagi asks, curiously, "Kirito?"

Kirito asks, "How many hours have we been on the third floor?"

Usagi looks at Asuna and Asuna replies, "After all the sleep we got, I think it's around fourteen hours."

Kirito says, "Crap. That's the exact timing."

Asuna asks, "Exact timing for what?"

Kirito responds, with a serious tone and in a whisper, "This is the location of a major quest you can start from the main city. There are a few different patterns to the quest, so its not guaranteed, but a solid percent of players doing the quest are going to be coming here for an item. Depending on the size of the party, it might take between ten and fifteen hours for them to get this far…" However, a faint clang of metal interrupts Kirito and Kizmel stops dead in her tracks, showing that Kirito wasn't hearing things.

Kizmel tells our three players, "Kirito…Asuna…Usagi…it would seem there are other visitors to this nest."

Kirito says, "Yeah, it might be other p-human warriors. We have reasons to avoid encountering them, Kizmel."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"No kidding!"_

Kizmel motions to a divot in the wall and she says, with a nod, "I do as well. Let us hide there for a moment."

Asuna asks, confused, "Huh? How can we hide with the light of the torches all around?"

Kizmel responds, with a smirk, "The people of the forest have their own ways of deception." Kizmel then guides them into the depression in the wall and she then presses herself against them, causing Kirito mental embarrassment, in which she says, "Extinguish the torches." Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi did so without hesitation and Kizmel extends her cape, somehow covering all four of them, in which the three of them discover that the cape is see-through on the inside layer and Kirito and Usagi look to see the hide rate percentage readout that's shown when using the Hiding skill, in which Kirito and Usagi prominently have, appears on the left side of their views with it showing a high percent rate of 95 percent causing Kirito to be a bit jealous.

Usagi asks Kirito, in a whisper, "What was this quest that these people are on?"

Kirito responds, in a whisper, "The guild creation quest, Usagi. The one that the other frontier players want to get started." Asuna's and Usagi's eyes widen, remembering quickly that the groups of players led by Lind and Kibaou want to form the first guilds in Aincrad, unofficially calling themselves the Dragon Knights Bridge, led by Lind, and Aincrad Liberation Squad, led by Kibaou, in which both groups want to becoming official guilds of Aincrad.

Kizmel says, "Quiet. They will pass by us soon." Soon enough, seconds later, the four of them can see a party of about half-a-dozen walking near their location.

Just then one of them shouted, in a familiar male voice with Osakan accent, "What the hell?! All the chests have been ransacked already!"

Usagi and Kirito think in unison, with a mental groan, _"Not you again!"_ As soon as they were real close that they could touch them, they can see that the group is led by none other than Kibaou, the leader of the currently unofficial Aincrad Liberation Squad or ALS for short. When he is nearby, Kibaou's eyes glanced at the hollow that our foursome was hiding in and dropped the hiding percentage a bit, but not even close enough to reveal them. Soon enough, the party from Kibaou's 'faction' of frontline players headed off and when the sounds of their armor clanking died out, Kizmel uncovers them and straightens back up.

Asuna says, "I felt more nervous than when we face monsters."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah. It probably wouldn't have turned into a battle if they'd seen us through."

Asuna says, "Well, they might have demanded that we share what we found in the chests."

Kirito says, "I don't know. I don't think even he would go that far…I hope…"

Kizmel asks, curiously, "Did you know some of those people?"

Usagi replies, nervously, "In a way, Kizmel…But we're not exactly on friendly terms, you might say…"

Kizmel says, curiously, "Oh, I'd heard that the humans in this castle had maintained a healthy peace for years."

Kirito says, nervously, "W-We wouldn't come to blows, of course. And we help each other out when fighting big monsters, but we're not friend."

Kizmel says, with an understanding nod, "I see. Then it must be like the relationship between my Pagoda Knights Bridge and the royal Sandalwood Knights." Asuna beams at this and talks with Kizmel about those knights in which they continue on with Kirito checking the map with his window in which he catches Kizmel looking at his menu causing her to say, "It has been a long time since I saw that human charm."

Kirito asks, confused, "Huh? Charm?"

Kizmel says, "Indeed. It is the art of Mystic Scribing, one of the few human charms left to humankind after its magic was lost, is it not? The one that allows you to record knowledge, even physical items, within your mystic tome…"

Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, _"Wow! They even given a context to what our game windows are to Kizmel based on the 'backstory' of Aincrad."_ They continue on where they clear out the spider monsters in one of the two remaining rooms in the dungeon where they discover a fight light blinking in the backwall where they find it is a silver decoration craved in the shape of a leaf with opal-like white gem at the base of the decoration.

When Kirito looks to see the same design on the fastener on Kizmel's cape, she says, solemnly, "It is the insignia of the Pagoda Knights. It must have belonged to the scout who was investigating the cave. The owner can't be alive anymore." Kirito tries to give the decoration to Kizmel, but she shakes her head and says, solemnly, "You must take that to the commander, Kirito. We ought to return to give our report."

Kirito says, with a nod, "All right, I'll hold onto it then." When Kirito puts the emblem in his pouch, Usagi can see a message on the left side of her view, showing quest progress.

Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"While this is scripted to happen as part of a quest, it is still sad to hear that Kizmel lost a comrade in arms."_

As the group starts to head back, while keeping an eye for more spider mobs, they hear, not the sounds of spider mobs, but shouts of men in which one male voice yells out, "Crap! It's coming up the stairs!"

Another male voice yells out, "Run! Run! Back to the entrance!"

Kibaou's voice booms out, "No one said anything about suck a freaking huge spider! What the hell's going on?!"

Kirito, realizing what's going on, turns to ask the others about what to do, but Asuna asks Kirito, concerned, "What do we do Kirito?"

Kizmel says, "I will leave the decision in your hands!" Kirito gives a mental yelp and when he glances at Usagi, she gives a nervous shrug.

After a deep thought process, Kirito says, "We'll let them pass by and stop the spider as it chases. If we can get it into that big room over there, we should have enough space to fight."

Asuna, Kizmel, and Usagi nod their heads and Asuna says, "All right. Lead the way."

Kizmel says, "If you have decided to fight, I will follow."

Kirito says, with a nod, "This way!" The four of them get to an intersection that's a wide cross path and while Asuna, Kizmel, and Usagi waited some distance away from Kirito, Kirito put out his torch and waited in darkness.

Kirito then hears a voice shout out, "It's an intersection! Which way's the exit?!"

Another voice booms out, "We just went through here! Straight! Straight! Straight!" Kirito then watches the Kibaou's group run by, taking note of the lead man twirling his ax and how the whole of the group keep together despite being in a panicked run. However, Kirito remained focused on what he plans to do and using excellent timing, Kirito strikes the side of the giant spider's flank causing the giant spider to bellow in rage in which Kirito races off and catches up with the others.

Asuna says, "You got her attention."

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"No joke, Asuna."_ The group races on with the spider queen, known as Nephila Regina, follows them until they reach the large empty room in which Kirito re-lit his torch and immediately, Nephila Regina, attacks using attacks that Kirito recognizes from the SAO beta test.

Kirito shouts out, "When she jabs with her legs, the one that twitches will go first! If you don't get outside of her range, both will hit you!" Immediately, Kirito can give a 'demonstration' when it attacks when its right front leg twitch and Kirito jumps out of the way of a claw that hits where Kirito was. With Kirito giving commands, the four players fight hard and after two minutes, which seemed longer to Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, Nephila Regina exploded with a 'splashy' visual effect in which Kirito is amazed by Usagi's new sword. Kirito thinks in his mind, _"My words. It is still in its 'base form', but it is definitely more powerful that our Anneal Blades fully upgraded."_ After checking to make sure that no one is approaching, Kirito says, "Doesn't look like Kibaou's group noticed us. They'll head back in for the second level to finish their guild quest, so we can slip out once they're past us."

Asuna asks, "How long many minutes does it take for that boss spider to come back?"

Kizmel then replies, "At that size, it will take three hours at minimum for the cave to generate enough spiritual power to give life to a new ruler."

Kirito and Usagi have their own looks of mental surprise and Usagi thinks in her mind, _"The NPC of this world have their own way of explaining mob respawning?!"_ Usagi asks, acting 'ignorant', "A new ruler is created?"

Kizmel says, with a nod, "Yes. Like many 'unnatural' creatures, the ruler's energies and essence are 'defused' into the corrupted spiritual essence within this cavern and they are used to reincarnate the spider ruler of this realm. It is not completely known how this process works, but my people have an ancient legend that before the creation of Aincrad, there was a great war where many lives were lost causing a lot of spiritual energy to be spread out into the world. A group of people, wishing to use this energy, used ancient magics to create an army of creatures for their own benefits, but instead, legions of monsters and other unnatural beasts were born in which the majority of them can never be defeated for every time that you defeat them, their spiritual essence will be infused with the corrupted spiritual energies to reincarnate them over and over again. You can never truly defeat them for the world has been cursed with their presence probably till the end of days."

Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are amazed by this 'backstory' to 'mob respawning', but Asuna then says, "With that much leeway, Kibaou's team will have plenty of time to search the second level safely. So, we ended up helping them without them realizing it. That kind of irks me."

Kizmel says, with a smile, "As they say: 'The forest sees all good deeds, and the insects all the bad.' The Holy Tree will ensure that you are blessed."

Usagi says, with a smile, "Our saying of that is: 'One good turn deserves another'."

Kizmel says, with a smile, "I shall remember it." As they prepared to leave, Kirito notices something nearby and he looks to see a huge fang with Queen Nephila's mouth, which is called Queen Spider's Poison Fang, in which Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and Kizmel head off back to the dark elf camp with them NOT meeting up with Kibaou's group along the way.

( **Back at the camp; a good time afterwards** )

Our group has returned to the dark elf camp where Kizmel turns to Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi in which she asks, "Kirito…Asuna…Usagi…Will the three of you deliver the memento you discovered in the cave?"

Usagi responds, with a confused and concerned look, "O-Okay…"

Kizmel replies, with a nod, "Thank you. The scout who died was of the commander's blood…I do not wish to intrude on your report. Forgive my selfishness."

Asuna tells Kizmel, "We understand. Don't worry, we'll give the report. What are you going to do next, Kizmel?"

Kizmel says, "I will rest in the tent. Call upon me if you should need my services." After a weak smile, Kizmel walks away and when a chime is heard, Usagi notices Kizmel's HP bar disappear from the upper left of her view and then a small system message that alerts Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi to the departure of a member from the party.

Kirito tells Asuna, in a reassuring tone, "Don't worry. She'll join us again, anytime that we ask…I think."

Asuna says, with a nod, "…Yeah." Asuna then says, "Come on, let's go report on our quest." Soon after, the three players report back to the commander's tent and after delivering the emblem, the commander told them about the next 'mission' to kill the spider queen. However, that part was done with when Kirito produced the spider queen's fang which resulted in this quest being completed with their money and experience given to the three of them in which all three of them earned a new item with them choosing a magic belt pouch that held a far greater capacity than its appearance suggest. Soon after, Asuna dragged Kirito to the blacksmith tent to get her a new sword made while Usagi decided to go the bathing tent to take a bath. A good time afterwards, we find Usagi inside of the bathing tent, without anything on her, and inside of the large bath in which she is in deep thought.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Kizmel seems so different from other NPC that I have seen in SAO so far. She seems so…so life-like. And Kirito says that the quest is going off-base of what he experienced in the beta. In the beta, Kirito didn't have Kizmel as an ally because she…Well, that was that 'other Kizmel' not the one that we know. Most likely, she has been updated since the beta, but not to this degree! What would be the point of making an NPC so…so human-like? I really don't understand much of this, but then again, I understand things less and less ever since I've been trapped in here with everyone."_ Usagi looks up into the sky and she thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"Why? Why did you do this? I guess I won't understand until I find you and most likely, you are the final boss at the top of Aincrad. Well, I won't stop until I find you and get my answers from you, Uncle…No, Kayaba. I can't think of him as my uncle anymore. If I do, I may not be able to fight him at full strength if I have to. Too many lives have been lost already…If and when I need to beat him to stop this, I need to fight him with all of my strength."_ A new determination filling through her, Usagi finishes up her bath and prepares to head out to meet up with Kirito and Asuna.

( **Sometime later; outside of the dark elf camp** )

Back outside of the dark elf camp, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are heading towards the main town of this floor of Aincrad in which Asuna is sporting a brand new silver rapier in a bright grey sheath. It is Asuna's new Chivalric Rapier, Asuna's new rapier that she has used her Wind Fleuret, after she had it melted into an ingot, as its core. Like Usagi's new Dragon Cutter, it was a very powerful weapon in which, based on Kirito's estimation, it could last to the fifth or sixth floor, which makes it a very good weapon like Usagi's new sword. When they ask Kizmel about it, Kizmel responded that the camp blacksmith is quite fickle in which he creates masterpieces, but often outright refusing pushy or misguided orders. For Kirito, it means that it isn't a bug or error, but a proper result that occurs a very rare frequency. However, only Usagi and Asuna got the new swords and while they were sometime apart on getting new swords, two excellent swords in a row is still a bit suspicious to Kirito, but Kirito is quite sure that there is no bug or error involved. After Asuna gained her new sword, Kirito got his Anneal Blade upgraded to the max and Asuna's new Chivalric Rapier got upgraded to plus five via special upgrade ingots that were the Last Attack bonus item from Colonel Nato that boosted the success of any weapon upgrade attempt to the maximum. Kirito offered to have Usagi's Dragon Cutter upgraded, but she declined for now.

At this moment, they were finishing off a wolf-like monster, known as a Roaring Wolf, which shatters into data pixels and Kirito says, with a sigh of relief, "Well, that was close."

Asuna says, nervously, "Well, I didn't know that two hits were going to do that much damage."

Usagi says, kindly, "We know, Asuna. You are just getting used to your new weapon."

Kirito tells Asuna, "No kidding. You had your Wind Fleuret for quite a while and thus, you know how to use it to its fullest. Despite your new rapier having it as its core, it is a brand new blade. You are going to need to learn its strengths, weaknesses, and such by ear."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Yeah, you're right." Asuna tells Usagi, "But Usagi, you were a bit aggressive with that wolf."

Usagi asks, a bit nervously, "Oh, I was?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah. When the wolf was preparing to call for its 'friends', you really bashed him, Usagi."

Usagi says, nervously, "Let's just say that my first quest in SAO had left me tired of wolves." Asuna and Kirito nod their heads in understanding and decide not to prod any further on that, but then they stop in their tracks when they hear a high-pitched 'clang' and it happened multiple times.

Asuna asks, curiously, "Sword combat?" The three of them look at each other knowing that the sound, which is obviously weapon against weapon, had to be either dark and forest elves against each other, elves against players, or worst of all, PvP AKA player versus player combat.

Kirito says, looking at Asuna and Usagi, "Let's check it out. Just in case." Asuna and Usagi nod their heads in unison and in agreement in which they head off and they continue on until they see flashes of light amid a grove of trees in which those 'flashes' are the signs of Sword Skills begin activated. The three of them get behind a particularly old and large tree, then peered around either side. They see five players having articles of clothing that are blue with silver highlights, the 'sign' that they are members of the Lind's Dragon Knight's guild. The three of them then noticed the same forest elf that the three of them fought with Kizmel and his back is the five members of Dragon Knights.

Asuna asks Kirito, "Are they in the middle of the 'Jade Key' quest?"

Kirito says, "I think so. And they probably took the forest elf's side. Which would mean that the elf that they are fighting is…" Asuna gains a worried look and Usagi mentally sighs, knowing that Asuna realized that they are most likely fighting another Kizmel, but then Usagi manages to catch a view of something.

Usagi asks, curiously, "Hold on a second. Something seems…different?" Kirito and Asuna give looks of surprise and confusion and Kirito and Asuna continue look with Usagi, they get a surprise when the elves move into a position where they can get a good look at the forest elf's dark elf opponent, they find that while the dark elf is wearing similar clothing and armor as Kizmel, but the dark elf in the armor and clothing is a tall and handsome MALE dark elf. Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi look at each other and Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Hold up! What's going on here?!"_ After knocking the forest elf backwards, the male dark elf knight turns his attention to Dragon Knight's group in which they seem to hold back against the dark elf, but the male dark elf knight attacks with a powerful attack the Dragon's Knight group, who were defending, sent their spiraling down to the ground, and their HP bars down to the yellow area. Kirito knows what happened in the beta, but what happened with the three of them and Kizmel, in their 'encounter' at the start of their version of the 'Jade Key' quest, Kirito can't be sure of his beta knowledge anymore and that means he can't be sure that the Dragon Knight's group isn't any real danger.

Kirito held back Asuna and the male dark elf knight says, "If you'd followed my warning and left, this would not have happened. Foolish humans…accept the punishment for your actions."

The male dark elf knight prepared for attack, but the forest elf knight shouts out, "I am your foe, Knight of Lyusula!" The forest elf then attacks the male dark elf and when the forest elf's blade struck the blade of the dark elf knight, the clash sent a shockwave that knocked the Dragon Knight group to the ground in which even Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna felt it. The two elves are locked in stalemate, but the forest elf, whose HP bar is in the red, starts to give away until he shouts out, "Holy Tree of Kales'Oh! Grant me the final sacrament!" A brilliant yellow-green erupted from the forest elf's chest and when it spread to cover the forest elf's body, it engulfed the entire area. Soon enough, the dark elf's and forest elf's HP bars quickly drained and when their last bits of HP are gone, the two elf warriors collapse to the ground with the dark elf shattering into data pixels first. After the forest elf imparted his final words to the Dragon Knights, the forest elf shatters into data pixels as well while leaving a familiar small pouch on the ground.

As Kirito kept a close eye on the scene with the Dragon Knights, Usagi thinks in her mind, _"What the heck? Hold on here! You can't have different characters for the same quest even quests that can branch off into two or more different 'directions'! The characters in the 'script' are always the same! What the heck is going on here?!"_ As Usagi is wondering what's going on in SAO, Kirito is taking note of the people in the group including an Anneal Blade wielder with a chain coif that covers his head in a way that his face can't be seen from where Kirito is observing and he is listening into their conversation.

 _ **December 15, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three, Zumfut**_

Right now, Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna are in the main town of the third floor of Aincrad known as Zumfut and this town isn't made of ordinary buildings, but three gigantic trees that stood together like monstrous baobabs. Their trunks are a hundred feet wide and well over two hundred feet tall. The inside of the trunks are hollowed into many-floored structures as well. Right now, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are reading a piece of parchment on a flatten wooden board.

Asuna says, "The strategy meeting starts at five o'clock. That's going to leave us with plenty of time." Usagi then glances over to an area and her eyes widen a little.

Usagi tells Kirito and Asuna, "I'll be heading off."

Asuna asks Usagi, curiously, "What's wrong, Usagi?"

Usagi tells Asuna, with a kind tone, "Nothing, Asuna. I'm going to be looking into something."

Kirito tells Usagi, with a nod, "Okay, Usagi, be careful."

Usagi says, with a smile, "See you at the meeting." Kirito and Asuna wave as Usagi takes off while the two of them prepare to head for an inn, wondering what that was all about. As Usagi goes through the town, she noticed that she isn't getting too much attention since she is wearing her distinctive white hooded cloak. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"You would think that I would be getting more attention…Not that I'm glad that not too many people are looking at me. But you think that after the fact that Kayaba's niece has been found to be trapped in here and being on the 'front lines', you would think that everyone else would know about my one-of-a-kind cloak by now. Well, personally, I'm glad that I'm not grabbing too much attention."_ Usagi then looks around and she thinks in her mind, _"And speaking of not grabbing too much attention…"_ Usagi then goes into 'back area' where there are no other players are currently around and Usagi looks around as if looking for something or someone.

But then a familiar female voice calls out, "Looking for something, Usa-chan?!" Usagi yelps and whips to the source of the voice to see Argo, former SAO beta tester and information broker for the current Aincrad, in front of her with classic sly smirk on her face.

Usagi tells Argo, annoyed, "Geez, Argo! Scare a girl out of her avatar, why don't you? And massive of a Hiding Skill do you have?"

Argo tells Usagi, with a sly smile, "Sorry, Usa-chan, but you know how you get that information."

Usagi tells Argo, plainly, "I rather not."

Argo tells Usagi, slyly, "You are no fun, Usa-chan." Argo tells Usagi, with a grin, "Got any good info for little ol' me? I'll make sure to make it worth every col."

Usagi tells Argo, a bit nervously, "Well…" Usagi then explains about what happened with War Elf quest and what happened when Kirito, Asuna, and herself spotted the Dragon Knights starting their versions.

When she is done, Argo gives a curious look and she says, "Now, that's an interesting tidbit."

Usagi tells Argo, "Argo, have you heard of such a thing?"

Argo tells Usagi, "Nope. I haven't heard of a quest that changes one or more characters for each player or set of players taking it. In fact, it SHOULDN'T even happen, Usa-chan. You could explain about how you were able to beat the forest elf of possible change to the quest being that an addition path of beating the opponent elf without the 'partner' elf that you choose to ally with NOT dying is a change made from the beta. That's a possibility, Usa-chan. But that don't explain the next group of players starting the quest having a different version of the 'partner elf' that you saved even if it happened like it did in the beta. It just doesn't happen in RPG, Usa-chan. Same characters for the same quest since it is the same story every time even through there are different ways to 'tell that story', Usa-chan. A gamer girl like you should know that."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah…" Usagi asks Argo, "Hold up? When did I tell you that I'm a hard-core gamer?"

Argo tells Usagi, with a sly smile, "Come on, Usa-chan, anyone who is playing this is a significant MMO player. However, thanks for the small tidbit, I'll remember to pay you back someday." Usagi, mentally, slaps herself for giving that fact.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Kirito always told me: 'Spend time with Argo and you'll lose one hundred col."_

Argo tells Usagi, "Speaking of paying you back, I could use your help with a quest."

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Uh oh."_ Usagi asks, nervously, "What is it this time?"

Argo says, with a smile, "It is just a nice little quest where you will earn a special ore that can enhance that new sword of yours with a max chance of success as long as it is under ten upgrade attempts."

Usagi asks, surprised, "Really?" Usagi then asks, curiously, "Hold up! How do you know I have a new sword?"

Argo says, with a giggle, "Your cloak may hide your pretty face, Usa-chan, but it doesn't hide the fact that you have a brand new sword hanging on your side." Usagi gives a nervous sweat drop as she puts her hands in front of her new sword hanging off her side.

Usagi asks, solemnly, "I know that I'm going to regret this, but what is the quest called?"

Argo responds, with a sly smirk, "Puzzle of the Mystic Elf Ore, it is called. You can take it even if you aren't taking the War Elf quest and if you are taking that quest, it doesn't matter which side you are on."

Usagi asks, solemnly, "Puzzle of the Mystic Elf Ore, huh?" Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Why do I feel that this is going to be a real 'brain buster'?"_

( **Much later** )

Later that same day, Kirito and Asuna are heading into the bowl-like assembly area between the three giant baobab trees that make up the main city of the third floor of Aincrad and after greeting Agil and getting a mouthful about them still being a party. Soon after, they see Usagi, who is slumped forward, walking into the assembly area in which Kirito and Asuna get concerned.

Asuna asks, curiously, "Usagi?" Kirito and Asuna run over to Usagi and Asuna asks Usagi, in a whisper, "Usagi-chan, are you okay?"

Usagi groans out, weakly, "Argo…quest…don't ask…"

Kirito gets nervous and he says, nervously, "Don't tell. That's all we need to know." Asuna gives Kirito a curious look and Kirito tells Asuna, in a whisper, "Let's give Usagi a bit time to recover." Even through neither Kirito or her can see Usagi's face due to her special hooded cloak, Asuna feels that she shouldn't be causing Usagi any unnecessary 'headaches'. Kirito and Asuna 'escort' Usagi into assembly area and take their seats as Lind and Kibaou start the meeting. They announce that the Aincrad Liberation Squad and Dragon Knights Brigade are now official guilds, which impressed Kirito on how hard they must have worked on the guild quest to complete it to start their guilds, and they also added the acronyms for the guilds, ALS for Aincrad Liberation Squad and DKB for Dragon Knight Brigade, their current member lineups, and casting call for new faces.

Just then Lind announces, "I would like the doors to my guild to be as wide open as they can be. Our only requirement at this time is that the player be at least level ten."

Kibaou shouts out, "And level nine for us!"

Lind gives an annoyed look at Kibaou for a moment, but he regains his composer and he continues by saying, "Everyone participating in this meeting who hasn't joined either guild should meet the requirements. So if you raise a hand, you will be gladly welcomed. However, there is one condition which applies only to certain people. This was decided after discussion between Kibaou and I." Kibaou gives a cross look and Lind then looks at Kirito in which he says, "Kirito…and White Swordswoman-san." Kirito then gives a look of surprise in which Kirito thought that Lind was about to say that he couldn't join either guild, not that he cared since he didn't plan on joining either of them, but when Lind mentioned Usagi's current 'nickname' known by the player population since only he, Asuna, and Argo know Usagi's player name. Lind says, "Before either of you are approved to enter one of our guilds, there is one more condition on top of the level requirement. One of you must enter the DKB and the other must enter the ALS."

Kirito asks, confused, "What?"

Lind says, "As it was made clear, Kirito, Asuna, and the White Swordswoman-san are a head and shoulders above anyone else in our general group. The three of you made off with the Last Attack bonuses of all three bosses in that fight, after all. I do not bring this up to criticize you, of course. But it does not benefit any of us to have the both of you join either guild. Our combined strength are roughly equal for now, and you would cause a sever imbalance by joining either side."

Kirito asks, curiously, "What about Asuna?"

Lind says, "While Asuna is in league with the two of you and trust me, she is a powerful player in her own right and most likely, she can fight on her own without the need for the two of you for support, but out of your trinity, you and the White Swordswoman are the foundation of your 'pyramid of strength and ability', Kirito. For you, it is…obvious reasons since you are the one of your group getting the Last Attack bonuses of the boss fights for the last two fights and the White Swordswoman, who rivals you in ability despite being non-beta tester. Her ability to survive the first boss of SAO, alone, until we got there is a testament to her ability. I dare say that she is the equal to you, Kirito."

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Yeah, she is. But Asuna rivals Usagi and me the same."_

Lind says, "As such, we agreed that Asuna will be granted the right to join whichever guild that she wishes…as long as either of you haven't joined a guild, both of joined both guilds, and only one of you have joined one of the guilds in which she must join the other guild."

Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi think in their minds, surprised, _"What?"_

Lind says, "We are well aware that our request is unreasonable. But I need you to understand this. Now that the top players in the game have been split into two camps, it is imperative that our two guilds eternally remain on good terms, working together in the pursuit of defeating the game."

Just then a male voice calls out, "Is that's what going on here?" Everyone then looks to see six players walking into the assembly area.

The first one looks to be a male with wildly spiky brown hair and brown eyes.

The second one looks to be a male with spiky blond hair and blue eyes.

The third one looks to be a male with short combined blond hair and blue eyes.

The fourth one looks to be a male with messy shoulder length dark blue hair and blue eyes.

The fifth one looks to be a female player with long lavender hair and large glasses in front of her brown eyes.

The final player looks to be another female player with long flowing magenta hair and brown eyes.

The clothing and armor that they are sporting are the rival with any of the front-line players with brown haired male having a curved sword, the spiky blond haired male having a lance and shield, the well-combined blond haired male is wielding a two-handed sword, the blue-haired male has a one-handed sword, lavender-haired glasses wearing female player has rapier, and the magenta-haired female player has a mace.

As the spiky brown haired male player with the curved sword, obviously the leader of the group of players, walks down to the 'stage', Kibaou asks, plainly, "You again?"

Lind says, "You are those players that wanted to help out in the last boss fight, but you were too late. I welcome you, to this meeting." Lind asks, "Have you and your friends reconsidered joining the Dragon Knights?"

The spiky brown haired male player responds, with a smirk, "Actually, no. I would like to introduce myself since we forgot to last time. I'm Taichi, guild master of the Digital Knights guild, the third guild of Aincrad."

There are gasps of shock and surprise, especially from Lind and Kibaou, in which Kibaou screams out, flabbergasted, "WHAT?!"

Asuna asks, surprised, "What did he just say?"

Kirito thinks in his mind, surprised, _"There is a third guild in Aincrad already?!"_

Taichi, the curved sword user of the group, joins Lind and Kibaou in the center of the assembly and he says, pointing to an area in front of him, "That's right. And if you think that I'm joking, you should take a look at my HP bar." Lind and Kibaou look at Taichi's HP displayed in their 'player sight' where they see an insignia above his HP bar in which the insignia, the 'guild crest' is a monster in front of a yellow shield with two swords crossing it, in which Taichi says, pointing to the rest of Digital Knights, "And this is rest of the guild and my close friends: Yamato, my second in command, his brother, Takeru, Sam, Miyako, and Junpier."

The five other members of the Digital Knights wave and Miyako, the violet haired rapier user of the Digital Knights, says, with a grin and waving, "Hey there! Sorry we were late! We just finished the guild quest to become an official guild. You know how it is!" Soon after, the remaining five members of the third guild of Aincrad take seats near Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi in which all three of them can see their HP bars.

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"They're a guild all right. They have a different crest than Aincrad Liberation Squad and Dragon Knights. It's official. There is a third guild…"_ Kirito then immediately looks towards Lind and Kibaou. The two of them have stunned looks on their faces and Lind's expression returns to stoic while Kibaou gives an annoyed look. Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Too bad, Lind. It is too late. There is now a third guild on Aincrad."_ The other players in the assembly are whispering and talking over the appearance of the Digital Knights.

Lind says, plainly and trying not to show his nervousness, "I see."

Taichi says, "Sorry about interrupting you there. We did recently finish the guild quest and came to join the front-line players."

Lind says, "If you are able to complete the guild quest just after the Liberation Squad and my guild, you must be a strong guild."

Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, _"No kidding, pal! And with just half-a-dozen in their group, they must strong and they must be close too."_

Taichi says, with a smile, "I don't want to brag, but we worked our butts off to get where we are. It wasn't easy since we are new players to the game and we had to get over our 'problems' that we experienced on the first day. You know how it is." Taichi's statements cause Usagi to hang her head low a bit, but Asuna puts her hand on Usagi's right hand causing Usagi to look to see a light smile on Asuna's face.

Kibaou says, with a plain and stern tone, "You can talk the talk, but it doesn't mean that you can walk the walk."

Taichi says, with a confident grin, "I can assure you that our actions will speak louder than our words." Taichi then looks at Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi and he says, "Anyway, we did manage to hear what you said and I would like to put my two cents in. My guild and I have agreed to open our doors to anyone to, but with no string attached. So…Kirito, was it? You, Asuna, and that 'White Swordswoman' over there can join our guild together no questions asked." There are more gasps from the other players in which Kibaou gets more annoyed expression on his avatar's face.

Kibaou yells out, annoyed, "Hey! What do you think that you are doing?"

Taichi says, his smile turning into a dangerous smile, "That's funny…" His expression turns into a deadly serious expression and he states, with a deadly serious tone, "That's the question that I should be asking you, two!" Lind and Kibaou then flinches from Taichi's expression and tone and he says, with a stern and commanding voice, "It should be a player's choice to join whatever guild that they want. Who made you the 'player police'? That's not your job as guild leaders! As leaders of guilds, it is your job to guild and lead your guild members to help them advance and grow in which, in this situation, you are also supposed to help them survive in this prison! You are also leaders of top players in this world and that means that you are setting examples for the other players that still in the Town of Beginnings or at least, nowhere the level to join the front lines which you can't blame them if they are afraid! However, what kind of example are you setting for them? Trying to divide the top players down the line saying that you can only go to this guild if that player joins that guild?" Taichi says, pointing to Usagi, "And let me guess: You are trying to 'turn' the White Swordswoman into a 'proper player', huh? It sounds like you are accusing her of some kind of crime. What crime did she commit? Just because she is Kayaba's niece doesn't give you the right to treat her like she is some kind of crook!"

Miyako yells out, with a strong and stern tone, "Newsflash, genius! If you didn't get it when you found out about her and I'm sorry that reopens a few 'wounds', but if that nutjob really cared about her, he would have logged her out the instant that this started or he could have prevented her from getting the game in the first place! He knew that she could have easily gotten it since she is related to him and he could have prevented that, but look, she is just like the rest of us…trapped in this nightmare!"

Plenty of the other players in the assembly look at each other and Taichi says, looking at them, "We don't have time for these type of 'power struggles'! If this was a regular MMO game, it would have been fine, but this isn't a regular game anymore! It has been turned into a 'death prison' and one wrong move is going to get us fried literally! And we can't stay in here forever! The longer that we stay, the more dangerous that it is going to get for us! If we bop heads, we're going to end up making mistakes and making a mistake here means that you are dead!" Plenty of the others, especially a tall African-American looking male player, nods their heads in agreement and Taichi shouts out, "We don't have time for these type of 'dominance struggles'! All of us have people that we want to get back too and so do the players that are in the two floors below us! So, what are we waiting for?!" The rest of the Digital Knights clap at this in which they are joined by the African American male player along with three others in which plenty of the other players can't help to applaud Taichi's speech in which Lind gives an emotionless look through his right eyebrow is twitching while Kibaou gives out a straight out irritated look.

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Ouch! They have been majorly being put 'in their place'. I would be worried about that guy becoming a target of the other two guilds, but something tells me that I really don't need to worry. This guy knows exactly what he is doing…like he has been in a situation like this before. It is silly, but this guy…he has the aura of a leader around him. He really has great potential."_ Kirito can't help to smile at Taichi along with the rest of the Digital Knights.

Taichi says, "Since it seems like guild leaders are the 'heads' of the meeting of the players fighting in the 'front lines', I don't think that you will mind me being here since I'm a guild leader too." Kibaou was about to say a few choice words, but he quickly stopped himself knowing that with what happened just now, anything that he says against Taichi will make him look bad and cause him to lose respect and 'prestige' among the 'front-line players' in which he wisely 'holds his tongue'. Taichi tells Lind and Kibaou, "So, what are our future plans?"

Kibaou says, with his classic tone of voice, "Are you kidding? Our plan is to finish up this floor within a week! That freaking means getting to the labyrinth in four days and beating the boss in another two! Our best option to make that happen is numbers! We can't keep up this pace with only around forty to fifth-whatsit folks every time! We got to get out there and recruit folks what got a bone to pick with this damn game!" At this point, Kirito looks at Asuna and she has a proud smile on her lips.

Kirito whispers to Asuna, "You seem happy."

Asuna whispers back, with a sly smile on her lips, "I'm glad that someone has come along and put the two of them in their places. Whether I join a guild or not and who I hang around with or not are my choice and my choice alone. I might be able to put up with those two's pushy attitudes, but if they think that it is their job to guild others and tell them what to do, they have got another thing coming. I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, but that new guy just did it perfectly. He and his friends are strong and they have the strength that they need to keep those two and their guilds in their place."

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"I don't doubt that Asuna, but this means that they have a major target on their backs."_ Soon enough, the meeting ends with Kibaou saying that the first of the now THREE guilds that finds the floor boss gets to be the guild that leads the boss raid party in the battle against the floor boss of the third floor and after a cheer, all of the players start to leave. In the aftermath of the meeting, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are assembled in front of the members of the Digital Knights.

Takeru, the well-combined blond haired male player with two-handed sword, says, "You know all of that talk about speeding up the pace of conquest of this pace and bringing in more players to the 'front lines' is quite contrary."

Sam, blue-haired male player with the one-handed sword, says, "Yes, but as much as we hate to admit it, Kibaou has a point. We can't keep going with the numbers that we already have. We need more assistance up here."

Kirito says, "I've got to agree. With the numbers that we have, eventually, we are going to stall and we can't stall at all. The longer that we stay here, the more dangerous for us it is." Kirito tells Taichi, "You know that you might have put a bullseye on your backs with those two, but then again, it might be part of the reason that you did that."

Taichi says, "Hey, if it will keep them going forward and not bashing each other's heads causing people to die, then fine by me."

Junpier, the magenta-haired female player with the mace, says, rolling her eyes, "No kidding. Who put those two in charge? Seriously!"

Sam says, "Like it or not, they do have some leadership skills."

Yamato, the spiky blond-haired male player with the lance and shield, says, with a sly smirk, "They just don't know how to use it right."

Asuna says, with a nod, "No kidding."

Miyako says, with a smile, "Anyway, it is nice to know that Junpier and I aren't the only girls on the front lines."

Juniper says, with a grin, "You must be really something to keep up with those two."

Asuna says, a bit embarrassed, "N-Not really."

Kirito tells Taichi, "Just be careful out there."

Taichi says, "Same here. Personally, I think that you like to live dangerous since you made sure that idiot, Kibaou, didn't murder all of the beta testers by taking all of the blame for them." Kirito gives a look of surprise and Taichi says, with a smirk, "Dude, we're not idiots."

Kirito asks, with a nervous smile and scratching his scalp, "That obvious to you, huh?"

Sam says, with a smile, "Yeah."

Takeru says, "Anyway, Kirito, just know that you aren't alone in this."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Thanks."

Junpier tells Usagi, with a smile, "Hey, White Swordswoman-san, we're rooting for you out there."

Usagi asks, a bit surprised, "Huh?"

Junpier says, with a smile, "Come on, girl! You don't think that we haven't heard what you have been doing for other players out there!"

Usagi says, solemnly, "It isn't enough…"

Junpier says, with a kind smile, "Not from the stories that I heard from players who you helped save."

Yamato tells Junpier, "Easy. You are making her uncomfortable."

Junpier says, nervously, "Oops! Sorry!" Junpier says, "But come on, you are only a human player in this game. You aren't a super-hero like Sailor Moon."

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"You don't know how wrong that you are."_

Miyako tells Usagi, "Anyway, White Swordswoman-san…And yes, we know that's not your player name. We, kind of, get why you want to keep your face and name hidden. Look, we just want to say that there are some players that have your back."

Usagi says, with a kind tone, "Thank you."

Kirito says, glancing around, "Sorry to be rushing off, but we have to get going."

Taichi says, "We get you. Hope to see you on the front lines soon."

Kirito says, with a smile, "Same here." Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna head off in one direction while the Digital Knights head off in another direction.

Asuna says, "They seem like a good bunch. I hope that they will do well out there."

Kirito says, with a smile, "They will Asuna. They are going to be a great guild. They may not be the best guild, but they are going to be a great guild."

Usagi asks Kirito, "How can you be so sure, Kirito?"

Kirito responds, with a grin, "Well, they have a good leader in Taichi-san. He really did tell Kibaou off."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I agree. He was quite impressive doing that."

Kirito says, "However, it is more than that Asuna. He carries himself like a leader."

Usagi says, with a nod, "I agree with Kirito, Asuna. Taichi-san really showed himself to be a leader. We saw it ourselves."

Asuna says, nodding her head in agreement and understanding, "Yes, you're right."

Kirito thinks in his mind, with a smile, _"They are going to be one of the great guilds here in Aincrad one day."_ Kirito gives a mental sigh and he thinks, _"However, I'm sorry, Taichi-san, but it is for the best that your friends and guildmates don't have someone like me mucking up your group. It is good to know that there are other players like Agil out there, but someone like me is just going to give you more trouble than you have right now. One day, other players are going to be looking up to you and your group along with another I know…"_ Kirito then glances at Asuna and in his mind, it makes Kirito determined that he sees that 'destiny' that Asuna is made for come to pass through he knows that the two of them may go their separate ways.

Usagi asks, "So, what do we do now?"

Kirito says, "Let's head back to Kizmel and the camp."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Good idea." They head off in which Usagi then gets a feeling that they are being watched in which she glances around in which she then seems to see 'something' for a moment and when they are just outside of town, Usagi stops in her tracks causing Kirito and Asuna to stop and look at Usagi in surprise and confusion.

Kirito asks, curiously, "Usagi?"

Usagi responds, "Hold on a minute, Kirito."

Asuna asks, curiously, "What's wrong?"

Usagi doesn't reply to Asuna's question and she calls out, seemly to no one, "Are you there, Kizmel?" Kirito and Asuna look at each other in confusion, believing that Kizmel is back at the dark elf camp.

But then a familiar female voice calls out, "So, you noticed." The three players look in the opposite direction where they were looking at where they find the familiar female dark elf knight with onyx eyes gleaming with mischief.

Usagi responds, nervously, "How could I not notice?"

Kirito and Asuna give gaps of shock and surprise and Asuna asks, nervously, "Kizmel? How long have you been there?" Asuna then gains a red look on her avatar's facial features and she asks, nervously, "Were you also…in the room with us…?"

Usagi gives a confused look at Asuna's question and Kizmel responds, "No, I spotted you in the meeting place at the center of the town. It wasn't until the late afternoon that I used the teleporting charm to come into range."

Usagi thinks in her mind, shocked, _"Hold on! Kizmel is an NPC and while she is 'assisting NPC' to Kirito, Asuna, and I since we are taking the War Elf quest in which she is part of that this quest or at least, the version that we are taking, if it is the same quest, she is a red cursor 'mob' to the other players, maybe even players taking this quest and also fighting for their dark elf 'faction'. She would also be considered that by the NPC guards of the town, normally, and be attacked instantly. She did say that she had a 'hiding charm', is that why? Or is it something else?"_

Kirito asks, curiously and a bit nervously, "So, why did you come all the way to the human town?"

Kirito and Usagi felt that Kizmel blushed a bit, but Kizmel says, plainly and seriously, "It was my duty."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Duty?"

Kizmel says, "Yes. The commander has given me a mission: Serve and protect you. You didn't return for many hours after leaving this morning, so I simply left to see how you were doing."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"She just left the camp on her own? While I don't doubt her power, she is high-level and the monsters around here don't have a chance as well as the fact that she had the ability to hide so well. But a normal NPC, even an 'assisting NPC', doesn't normally seek out the players that they are assisting. They usually wait around for them at one location or another and they join up with those players there. Kizmel, what are you?"_

Kirito asks, a bit nervously, "Simply, huh? Is it really safe to go all the way into the middle of town like that? What if your hiding…Um, deception charm wore off?"

Kizmel says, with her face seemly taking a look of pride, "This Mistmoon Cloak is most effective at the evening and morning hours when sunlight and moonlight switch places. Even with a little contact, its charm will not break."

Kirito says, a bit amazed, "Wow." Kirito then asks Asuna, "Asuna, maybe we should go back to the camp, if that's okay with you?" While Kirito planned to have a meal in Zumfut, but he didn't want to have Kizmel tag along, out of sight, and there is the fact of what happened with the Digital Knights making their appearance as the 'counter' to both DKB and ALS guilds.

Asuna glances at Usagi and she responds, "All right. Especially since Kizmel came all this way to see us." Asuna then says, "You know, I was thinking that we should just stay around the elf camp all the way to the boss battle."

Usagi gives Asuna a curious look and Kirito says, "Well, I guess we can get all we need on the state of progress from Agil and Argo and there are plenty of supplies at the camp, but I thought that you really liked that hotel room in Zumfut."

Asuna replies, "I got to see the view, once, and that was enough. Besides, I don't want to be anywhere near those guild people right now…other than that third new guild."

Kirito nods in understand, glances at Usagi, and Kirito asks Kizmel, "Kizmel, do you mind if we stay in the tent with you starting tonight and lasting for a week or so?"

Kizmel replies, simply and with a beautiful smile, "I do not mind. I would be delighted for to call it home. Let us live together until our goals are met."

Kirito replies, with a nod, "Great. Thanks." As the three players and dark elf knight head back to the dark elf camp, Kirito and Usagi can't help to wonder what Kizmel really is since she isn't a 'normal' NPC at all in which they can't help to wonder about what Kizmel could be.

 _ **December 18, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three**_

Right now, we are back inside of the dark elf camp 'made' for Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi as they are playing the War Elf quest on this floor. Inside of the camp, we find Usagi sitting down at a table and enjoying a good hot meal being served, but she is also in deep thought. She, Kirito, and Asuna learned more about the 'backstory' for SAO in which the story went the world was divided into multiple kingdoms until one hundred varied regions from around the world were cut in circles from the ground and summoned into the sky in which they were stacked in a conical formation from smallest down to largest pieces of land to form the gigantic floating fortress world of Aincrad. These lands lost the magic that caused the civilizations and kingdoms of humankind fell with the floors lost contact with each other in which the civilizations, in the form of towns, of each floor just took care of themselves. While the background information doesn't help them at all in finding a way out, one story that Kizmel explained to them got her interest. From what Kizmel tells them, there is a dark elf legend that great magics that formed Aincrad came from a mighty princess with 'the incredible powers of creation', as Kizmel said that the legends said, in which she and her sister planned for Aincrad to be a place of peace and unity, but a member of their own family tricked the princess to create Aincrad based on his own selfish designs. Hurt over this betrayal, the princess cursed this member of the family into the infamous 'Demon King of Aincrad' said to be the 'shadow ruler' of this world before she, her sister, and their brother, a mighty warrior prince, died, but dark elf legend says that these siblings would one day return to Aincrad in new forms to strike down the betrayer and bring a final end to the cursed castle in which all of the citizens of their floating castle world would be set free.

While this information, like the rest of the information on the 'game backstory' of SAO, is useless, but Usagi can't help to 'feel something' from this story that Kizmel story and that it is a 'hint' to…something. However, Usagi decides to shake that feeling out of her mind and focus on the here and now, but also felt that she should keep that tidbit in her mind since she had a feeling that it was some kind of clue or something of the sort.

By now, it has been three days since meeting of Zumfut and revealing that there are THREE guilds in Aincrad: The Aincrad Liberation Squad, the Dragon Knight Brigade, and the Digital Knights. And the Digital Knights, despite being only having around one-third of the members that either the ALS or DKB have, shown that they were the equal in those two guilds in skill and ability while showing an ability of leadership with their leader, Taichi, taking command in the Field Boss battle with them beating the boss with no fatalities at all.

Flashback; Earlier on December 18, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three

Just before the main labyrinth that contained the floor boss for this floor of Aincrad, Kirito strikes the final blow against the field boss and bringing its HP to zero causing it to shatter into hundreds of data pixels. Soon after, the classic 'congratulations' sign is seen with the classic distribution of EXP, col, and items with Kirito getting the Last Attack bonus.

Taichi tells Kirito, "Good job, Kirito."

Kirito tells Taichi, with a smile, "Well, it was your direction that helped Taichi-dono."

Taichi tells Kirito, with a smile, "Come on, we're all players, here, Kirito."

Just then Kibaou's voice booms out, "Hey! Hey! Hey!" Everyone looks towards Kibaou in which Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and the Digital Knights can see plenty of the other players have nasty looks on their faces and Kibaou shouts out, "What's the big idea giving that beater the Last Attack bonus?"

Asuna thinks in her mind, with a sigh, _"Here we go."_

Usagi can't help to nod her head, knowing what Asuna is thinking, and Taichi says, with a deadly glare, "And why not? Kirito was in perfect striking position to end this right away to make sure that he field boss didn't recover at all. While you were willing to take a chance to risk player's lives over an item, I wasn't!"

A member of the ALS says, "But…!"

Taichi yells out at him, strongly, "But nothing!" Taichi then gives a deadly serious glare in his eyes that causes many of the other players to flinch from his glare and he yells out, "While competition can be healthy to have us improve, which improvement is necessary for our position, going overboard isn't going to help us at all! This isn't a game anymore! This is a battle for survival! And I'm not going to risk any player's lives even ones like you over a matter of stupid…pride, greed, or anything in-between!" Taichi then points his sword at Lind and Kibaou and he yells at them, glaring with every word, "And the two of you should know this quite well! As leaders of your guilds, your duty should be at the upmost is the survival of the players that your command. And as leaders, you are supposed to be 'symbols' of inspiration and to show what to do and what NOT to do, especially! Have you been doing that?!" Taichi gives a glare that's so strong that both Lind and Kibaou flinch from it in which Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi give looks of amazement.

Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, _"Message: Don't mess with me."_

End Flashback; Return to the Present

That confrontation showed that the leader of the Digital Knight's guild isn't a person to mess me and the rest of that guild also show that by staring down the other two guilds…and causing them to flinch!

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"The Digital Knights are quite amazing! They stared down Kibaou's and Lind's guilds and got them to back down! They are a force to be reckoned with, but I hope that they will be careful and not alienate the player community!"_ Usagi then shakes her head and she thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"No, they seem to know what they are doing. Plenty of the other players agree them with them."_ Usagi then gains another thought and she thinks, in deep thought, _"Now that I think about it…yeah. They really know what they are doing…as if…as if…As if they faced this kind of situation before…I mean…Actually, it feels like they've been in a situation like this…a situation of life and death."_ Usagi shakes her head and she thinks in her mind, _"Maybe it is my imagination, but Taichi's leadership qualities are far above Lind's and Kibaou's leadership qualities. Hopefully, with someone like him and his guild, things will get better…I hope."_

As Usagi continues her meal, she thinks about what else happened within the last three days since the meeting in Zumfut in which she, Kirito, and Asuna haven't left the camp for that time in which Usagi used the upgrading ingots that she obtained in the quest that she had done for Argo doing that quest, which was more of a puzzle solving quest where there are more than several ways to reach more than several ends proving to be a real 'brain drain' for Usagi to get the endings for the quest that got her the ingots. The upgrading ingots are special ones that only work for the NPC blacksmiths for this floor and they work on weapons that are below ten upgrade attempts on them, but other than that, they work like the ingots that Kirito won as the Last Attack bonus from Colonel Nato. With them, she upgraded her new Dragon Cutter from +0 to +6 with giving it two points in sharpness, durability, and accuracy each. Afterwards, they continue on the campaign quest in which they completed the third, fourth, and fifth quests by the time that they had assist the other front-line players in the battle with the Field Boss of this floor of Aincrad. At this time, Usagi's level is 16 in which it will be the highest that they could reach. Kirito mentioned that back during the beta, the recommended level for fighting the floor boss was around three times the number of the floor, which means level 9, but with the game as it is now, even that could be 'low' when it comes to safety in this situation.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"The next quest is the 'Infiltration' and we have to steal orders from a forest elf camp. Kirito told me that back in the beta, he was in a party of four with four more dark elf NPC as aids in which they assaulted the camp and defeating the enemy elves to get those orders. But based on the name, you would think that the quest would mean that you sneak into the camp and steal the orders without causing any kind of ruckus. Maybe there is more than one way to complete the quest."_ When Usagi finishes her meal, she steps out and heads out through the camp where she sees Kirito 'hanging out' by the bathing tent, acting as a guard.

Kirito notices Usagi and he asks, curiously, "Usagi?"

Usagi says, with a kind tone, "Hey, Kirito. Just going out." Usagi start to move, but she is blocked by Kirito when he gets in front of her.

Kirito tells Usagi, "You need to stop doing this to yourself, Usagi."

Usagi doesn't say a word for several seconds and she says, with a weak tone, "I wish that I could, Kirito." Usagi then goes around Kirito and walks off into the distance in which Kirito can't help to sigh at this. Shortly afterwards, Asuna emerges from the bathing tent and looks around.

Asuna asks Kirito, "I thought that I heard Usagi's voice. Where is she?"

Kirito replies, a bit nervously, "She went out for a walk…" Asuna's eyes widen at those words and Kirito shakes his head in which Asuna gains a solemn look on her expression.

 _ **December 19, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three**_

It is the pre-dawn hours and it is still dark out in the forest 'fields' of the third floor of Aincrad where we find Usagi walking along and she is planning to head back to the dark elf camp. She has been out in the 'fields' in which she is doing what she has been doing ever since she decided to get out and fight for hers and everyone else's survival in this death game around three days after it started. She has been beating mobs, earning more col than experience due to her high level, and she made sure that several players didn't end up losing their lives.

Usagi takes a deep breath and she thinks in her mind, _"What a night. While you don't get physically exhausted in here, it takes a real headache on your mind and you could feel like you've been through a marathon."_ However, she then stops when she hears the faint sound of metal hitting metal. Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Huh? Swordplay? Is someone…No, wait! We aren't near the place where the War Elf quest starts, so…"_ Usagi's eyes then widen at the implications of what she is hearing and she immediately races off towards the sound of metal clashing with metal. Usagi continues to reach towards the source, the sounds getting louder and louder, and she then manages to see in the distance a pair of cursors…green cursors that indicate players. Usagi thinks in her mind, worriedly, _"Oh no! Why are players fighting now? This isn't a game anymore!"_ As Usagi gets closer to the players, she is in for a surprise as she sees the two players that are fighting each other causing her to think, shocked, _"Kirito?! What's he doing?!"_ He then looks at the other player that Kirito is fighting and recognize the metal coif covering this male player's head in which Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Wait! I recognize that player!"_ Just then Usagi looks to see the male player wielding what looks like a one-handed ax and she thinks in her mind, _"I know that weapon too! I've seen it before!"_ Usagi races down towards Kirito and the other player in which the other player puts his axe back into his in-game inventory while retrieving an Anneal Blade from a river before he heads off in which a sign appears that says 'Kirito VS Morte' and the word 'TIE' below their names showing that the two of them fought in-game duel and it ended in a tie.

With the coif wearing player, Morte, is out of sight, Usagi gets to Kirito's side and he asks, surprised, "Kirito?"

Usagi tells Kirito, "Kirito, what's the big idea?"

Kirito tells Usagi, making a motion to 'quiet down', "Easy, Usagi. The forest elf camp for the 'Infiltration' quest is nearby."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Really?" Usagi then shakes her head and she asks Kirito, "Never mind that. What's going on here?" Kirito sighs and he explains that he went off alone to infiltrate the camp to get the orders, so, they wouldn't have to perform a raid like he and other beta testers did back in the beta. He then found Morte hiding for him and Morte forced him into a door where he threatened to create a noise to alert the camp to his presence to make his attempt at sneaking in and taking the orders in a sneaky manner practically impossible. Kirito fought in half-finish duel against Morte, thinking that the risk of him dying was minimum, but Morte then attempted to PK him during the duel by reducing his health to just above half-way mark and then hitting him with an attack that would cause him damage beyond his current HP, killing him while making it a 'legal' PK so Morte won't become a criminal player, known as an orange player due to the fact that a player that commits a 'crime' in SAO gets their cursor turned from green to orange. However, by a mixture of luck and tactics, Kirito turned the tables and forced his HP to be even with his own in which Kirito found out that he uses both a sword and one-handed ax causing Kirito to realize that Morte is working with BOTH the DKB and the ALS using his ability to use different weapons to moonlight between both guilds. However, Kirito was unable to get an idea on why Morte was doing this and why he wanted to keep himself and his 'group', namely Asuna, Usagi, and Kizmel, away from the camp. When Kirito is done with explanation, Usagi slaps herself in the forehead and she asks, "Geez, Kirito, why do you have to be so…so…?"

Kirito says, nervously, "Sorry."

Usagi tells Kirito, "You don't have to worry about me. It's Asuna that you need to worry about." Kirito gets a nervous look from Usagi's statement.

However, Usagi and Kirito then hears out, "Who are all of you?!" Kirito and Usagi jump up in surprise and Kirito looks around to make sure that they weren't spotted by the guards of the forest elf camp, but then realized that the shout came from a good distance away from the position. Kirito and Usagi head over in the direction, making sure that they were hidden, in which they are shocked to see two groups of players in the distance away from the camp. While using their Hiding Skills, Kirito and Usagi find that there are two groups of players, one made of around ten to one dozen players and the other group around half-a-dozen, and the larger group is of the DKB and the other smaller group of players is of the ALS in which Lind is leading the DKB group with Kibaou leading the ALS group.

Kibaou's voice booms out, "First? Ya only beat us by a couple seconds at beast! And what do you mean, rules?! If you made them up yourself, we don't got to play along! We've got to beat this assault quest, too, no matter what it takes!" Kirito quickly realize that the ALS are also taking the War Elf quest and they are on the side of the dark elves, much like Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi.

Lind's voice booms out, "Whether it's quest or hunting grounds, first come, first served is the obvious way of things! If you're going to be the leader of a guild, you've got to follow your good conscience, Kibaou!"

Kibaou yells out, angrily, "Conscience? You're going to take about conscience, Lind?! Well, I've got a bone to pick about that! Ever since we've got here, you been hiding the fact that this elf quest is crucial to beating the boss!" Kirito was about to yell out in surprise, but he keeps his mouth shut.

Usagi whispers to Kirito, "Kirito…?"

Kirito whispers back, "No, Usagi. It isn't true at all. Going through this quest gives you a lot of rewards, but it isn't necessary to defeat the boss. At least, that's how it was in the beta and how it was in the first two floors of this SAO."

Kibaou then screams out, "You remember what happened five days ago! The raid was nearly wiped about because that their boss cow had turned into three! That same trap has been laid here on the third floor. Some trap that's going to do us in if we ain't cleared the elf quest and got whatever items it gives out. You knew it was true and ya didn't say a word for it during that strategy meeting! So, where is your conscience, huh?!"

Usagi whispers to Kirito, "It seems like Kibaou has been convinced of that fact."

Kirito whispers, with a nod, "Yeah, but even if it were true and there have been changes that connect the campaign quest to the floor boss, you would have to go through all of the chapters of the campaign quest in this floor to find out and it looks like us along with the ALS and DKB are at the sixth quests of our respective 'versions' of the War Elf quest."

Usagi asks Kirito, in a whisper, "Then someone gave Kibaou false information?"

Kirito says, in a whisper, "It looks like it…" Kirito's eyes then widen and he says, "Morte…"

Usagi asks, in a whisper, "You mean that player that you fought in a duel?" Usagi then asks, realizing something and in a whisper, "You mean that he could be the one that gave Kibaou the false information?"

Kirito says, with a nod and in a whisper, "Yeah, remember, he has been moonlighting with both the Dragon Knights and the Liberation Squad. He has been using his 'duel weapon wielding nature' to infiltrate both guilds. And what's wrong…this is what he was after."

Usagi silently gasps and she asks, in a whisper with a worried tone, "What?! Why?"

Kirito responds, shaking his head and in a whisper, "I don't know, but we need to do something before things come to blows. I hope that it won't, but neither of them is backing down and there is only one cool head in those two groups of players and he is on the Dragon Knight's side. There is no one with the Liberation Squad with the same cool head. They, both, want to get to the camp because once one of them completes one of their quests at this key location, the location changes to another random spot…" Just then Kirito's eyes widen and Usagi and Kirito look at each other in which while Kirito can't see Usagi's face, he knows that there is an understanding look on her face in which Kirito says, "Usagi, back to the camp, now."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Right." Immediately, Kirito and Usagi sneak off to return to the camp, sneak in, and as the guilds prepare to rush into the camp, the camp vanishes and the sixteen players look dumbfounded until Kirito and Usagi come down the hill to confront them.

When Kirito and Usagi come up to the players, who weren't happy to see them and show it on their faces, Kirito says, plainly, "Sorry, we just finished the quest. You'll have to look for the camp elsewhere."

Kibaou says, "No wonder I ain't see ya around. The little beater boy was busy with the campaign. And just like this foo with the topknot, you knew we needed a quest reward ta beat the boss and didn't see fit to tell anymore."

Usagi asks, plainly, "And where did you get that information?"

Kibaou responds, glaring at Usagi, "What was that, princess?"

Usagi retorts, plainly, "I was asking where you got that information. Far as I know, from what I heard from my squirt of a brother when he was bragging about the game to me, this campaign quest has NOTHING to do with the floor boss at all." There are looks of surprise from the group of players and Usagi says, "You already know that my little brother was a beta tester in the game, but he had a doctor's appointment, so, he didn't get trapped in here…" Usagi thinks in her mind, _"In which I'm partially thanking Kami-sama for that…"_ Usagi then says, continuing, "He bragged to me A LOT about playing in the beta because I wanted to play, too, but I never got the chance to even enter. He just bragged about what he did in the beta just to piss me off, but I always blow him off not wanting to give him the pleasure to me. However, I do remember quite a few things that he told me about what he did in the game and one of them was this quest in which what my squirt of a brother said about the quest had no relation to the floor boss…at least back in the SAO beta. When I asked Kirito about this quest, he gave me the same information based on his experience."

Kibaou yells out, annoyed, "Yeah, so what?!"

Usagi says, plainly, "What I'm saying is that even if what you say is true, you had to have already completed the campaign quest on this floor and as far as I know, no one has completed all of the quests in this big quest for this floor already. Where did you get you information? How could you have known that the items earned at the end of this big series of quest helps us with the floor boss? Unless…"

Just then male voice screeches out, "Shut it! That's not the point!" Kirito and Usagi focus on the person and Usagi immediately recognizes him in which this man shouts out, "Don't listen to this witch and this beater lie to you! They are among the reasons that Diabel died! Let's just ignore them and…!"

Usagi then asks, "Is it true?" Everyone looks at Usagi and she asks the man, "You are the person that accused Nezha that his actions have killed the player and I asked who that player was? Did you ever find out who that player was?" Immediately, everyone can hear the man stutter and gasp as if hit by a body blow and he can't say a word for several seconds while Kirito, who didn't recognize the male player at first, now, realizes WHO he was.

The man regains his voice and he yells out, "That's not the point…!"

Usagi responds, interrupting, "You know, Kibaou-san, your guild's reputation could suffer major damage if your members are throwing accusations without evidence that they did the crime." The man glares at Usagi, but Kibaou glares at the man with a dangerous glare causing the man to flinch from that glare.

Kibaou tells him, with a dangerous angered tone, "Shut your mouth right now, Joe!" The male player, Joe, flinches and back down while Lind and DKB members can't help to gain small smirks at this.

Lind regains his composer and he says, "Despite his pension to be emotional, Joe-san does have a point about what happened with Nezha and his companions isn't the point right now." Lind then says, plainly, "However, YOU, White Swordsman-san, have your point in saying that if the quest had been changed from when beta testers like Kirito have done and have items that are needed for the boss battle, it would have to mean that someone had to have completed all of the quest for the campaign on this floor. So far, no one has completed said quests that we know of. And the only ones that we know of that are taking the quest are us, Kibaou's Liberation Squad, and you and your two partners, Kirito and Asuna." Lind then says, glancing at Joe, "And the only ways that you can restart this quest that are possible are: One, you completely do all of the quests that go up to the NINTH FLOOR and completely COMPLETE the campaign quest as a whole which may allow you to restart the quest again by going back to this floor and so far, we have only reached this floor. And two, join up with another group that haven't started the quest from the start." Lind says, looking at Kirito and Usagi, "And no insult to you, two, but you aren't the people that are the joining type with 'other groups' despite 'other groups' willing to take you."

Kirito thinks in his mind, sarcastically, _"Yeah, thanks…"_

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Lind's talking about the Digital Knights."_

Lind tells Kibaou, with a serious glare, "And what I'm getting at is exactly what the White Swordswoman is asking, Kibaou. Where did you get this information? How would you know that the quest has been changed where it has items that we need to defeat the quest boss?"

Kibaou yells out, "Oh, really? You are going there, huh? Well, genius, remember when I mentioned the cow boss turning into three?! Remember 'The Rat'?"

Lind tells Kibaou, "Kibaou, the information dealer isn't the point…"

Kibaou shouts out, interrupting, "The point is that 'The Rat' got her information about the changes to the damn boss because of doing a quest or have you forgotten?! She learned about the damn boss information from a quest on the floor, so, who is to say that someone didn't learn this darn information by performing a quest on this floor? What do you say to that?"

This time, it was Lind's turn to be silent and Kirito thinks in his mind, _"Uh oh. Kibaou has got a point. And we have no proof that no one did a quest that found out that information."_

Just then a female voice shouts out, "Hey, what's with all the yelling?" Everyone looks to the source to find none other than the Digital Knights walking towards them.

Kibaou asks, annoyed, "What are you doing here?"

Miyako retorts, annoyed, "What do you think? Listening to your yelling and screaming!"

Junpier says, annoyed, "Yeah, we can hear you all the way from the main town!"

Taichi asks, "So, what's the big problem here?"

Kibaou yells out, annoyed, "None of your business…!"

Kirito says, with a sly smile, "Actually, it is good timing, Taichi. You must be preparing to go to the labyrinth."

Miyako responds, "What do you think Kirito?" Miyako points to Kibaou and she says, "We've got to get to the boss room based on what this loudmouth said or all of us are going to look like idiots!" Kibaou gives a winch and then gains a really annoyed look at Miyako.

Kirito says, with a smile, "Do you need any assistance? If you don't mind our help."

The DKB and ALS give looks of surprise and Yamato says, "No problem. The more, the merrier."

Kibaou then yells out, "Hold up! What do you think that you are doing?!"

Kirito tells Kibaou, "What I just said, Kibaou. We're going to join the Digital Knights and assist them in clearing out. I'm a beater, remember? I'm not rushing through the campaign quest for the rewards, but to level up myself and strengthen my equipment for the floor boss. I'm sure that you didn't go through the guild quest to mindless argue over little things like this. At this point, if that's the case, I'm sure that Asuna and my other partner, here, won't mind stopping the quest if we're going to have 'problems' with mindless squabbling from the two of you. We, all, have people that we care about that we plan to go back to. I plan to live, beat the game, and go back to them. I'm a beater and I plan to do what it takes to do that. While you are bickering, I'll join up with the Digital Knights and conquer the labyrinth in which Asuna, my other partner, and I, with the Digital Knights, will get all of the chests and ores in there. Since I'm a beater, don't expect me to leave any good stuff for you. And since the Digital Knight have shown to have really good heads on their shoulders, I'll make sure that they are the ones leading the raid group by making sure that they get to the boss room first." When Kirito stopped talking, both the DKB and ALS groups have flabbergasted looks on their faces in which plenty of those flabbergasted looks turned into looks of annoyance and anger.

The Digital Knights look at each other and Junpier whispers, "What's going on here?"

Taichi whispers, with a shrug, "Don't look at me."

Kibaou tells Kirito, "Ya got to the sixth chapter of the quest and now, you are just going to abandon it?"

Kirito responds, plainly, "That's right. I know that Asuna and my other partner right here may be annoyed, but we won't be able to go any further if we are stopped by both your guild and the Dragon Knights over pointless bickering." Joe want to yell out something, but a glare from Kibaou causes him to clam up.

Lind then says, "To be honest, like Kibaou, I find it hard to believe that you are giving up the campaign, Kirito. Don't get me wrong. I don't doubt your skill, Asuna's skill, and the White Swordswoman's skill combined. And you have a point about our Digital Knight 'comrades', they have proven a frontline guild…" Miyako and Junpier give proud smirks and Lind says, continuing, "In fact, I must admit, the three of you with them can easily conquer the labyrinth. However, it isn't proof enough that you have given up the campaign. In fact, speaking of your other partner, where is Asuna? Right now, you have no proof that she doesn't have the story item and ran off to complete the quest while the two of you occupy our attention here?"

Kirito and Usagi flinch and Kibaou yells out, "Yeah! For once, I damn well agree with that bloke here! I don't see that other cloaked girl that's hanging around the princess and you, beater boy! Where is she?! Where is the proof that you aren't going to continue this damn quest behind our backs?!"

Kirito and Usagi are nervous since Usagi knows that Kirito left Asuna and Kizmel to perform the next quest himself, but then a familiar female voice says, "If you want me, I'm right here." Everyone then looks in the direction of the voice in shock as none other than Asuna, with her classic brown hooded cloak over her, walks over and she says, plainly, "As Kirito said, we don't have time for useless bantering around here. If you are going to stay here and mindlessly argue while plenty of players, including those are waiting in fear in the Town of Beginnings, looking to their freedom from this death trap one day are being held back because of you, two, I'm going with my current partners and aid the Digital Knights because they are getting stuff done to advance us the next step towards freedom unlike you. And in my book, they should deserve to lead the raid since they seem to be getting the job done." Lind and Kibaou get a bit pale after that while the other members of both the DKB and ALS give stuttered looks of shock while the Digital Knight give amazed with the two female players of the Digital Knights give proud smiles.

Miyako and Junpier think in unison, _"You go girl!"_

Joe was about to open his mouth, again, and screech out another accusation in which Yamato says, "Hey, buddy, before you go yapping your mouth, are there going to be any facts behind your screeching? Because we heard all about what happened with those Legend Brave guys and from what we know, nobody die because they lost their weapon." Once again, Kibaou was glaring, dangerously and angrily, at Joe and Kibaou's message was crystal clear: 'Shut your darn mouth!' Getting the message, Joe keeps his mouth shut while shrinking behind the other ALS members.

Kibaou tells Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, "You really darn think you can handle that darn boss without the quest rewards? If there's any chance at all that we need them to tackle the boss, it ain't too late to find out. I get it. But I also get your darn message. While a lot of fucking stuff is the same, this isn't the fucking beta. Remember what darn gosh happened with the first two bosses? There were darn differences that cost Diabel his life and nearly destroyed our group taking on that darn threesome of cows! And you know damn well that this darn boss is going to be different from what that beater knows as well! And with those cows, it was that 'Rat' that got the information and it nearly came too late! Only an extreme baka wouldn't learn the lesson that you've got to do the quests to make freaking sure that you don't lose anyone to this wretched game!"

Kirito retorts, "Excellent point. But if testing the loot the reward loot is truly your aim, then either your guild or the DKB should abandon the quest. Since you are on different sides, if you attempt to complete it at the same time, you will clash, again, like tonight. If you can discuss the matter and determine which of the two will step down, I'm wiling to wait until we've done our homework."

Taichi says, "Or you can have a 'third party' do the quest and get it done that way." Both the ALS and DKB look at the Digital Knights and Taichi says, "As it is said, all three groups, here, are doing the quest and right now, you, two, guilds can't trust the other right now. Kirito and his partners are an 'outside party' and they can complete the quest in which you know that they aren't on either side since they are independent. Let them finish the quests for this floor as long as they promise to give every detail of what happened to see if any of the items gained in the campaign quest for this floor to see if the items have any significance to the boss fight." Taichi says, with a sly smile, "If not, while you guys are arguing and making no progress in the game at all, we're going to have the three of them help us get to the boss room and you have to follow our commands."

Lind and Kibaou pale at this and Kirito thinks in his mind, _"I understand the real message that Taichi is giving. And that's: 'The rest of the players are going to know that two of the first front-line guilds are bickering like little children over quests that have no connection to advancing the 'front-lines' and freeing us from this death game making our freedom that much longer'. Basically, Taichi is threatening to seriously damage the prestige of the DKB and ALS shortly after they became official guilds and have his guild becoming the leading guild of the front-line players which could result in the destruction of both guilds. Taichi might be bluffing somewhat in this since, like it or not, we need both those new guilds since they are full of veteran players and having them organized is better than them breaking apart. Solo players can only go so far."_ As Kirito thinks that, he can't help to glance at Usagi's and Asuna's directions through they don't see that.

Just then another familiar female voice says, "And they won't be alone in their endeavor." There are looks of shock from Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, knowing exactly who that voice belonged to and their fears are confirmed when none other than Kizmel makes her appearance in which she announces, pointing to Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, "I am Kizmel, a royal knight of the Pagoda Knights Brigade in the service of the kingdom of Lyusula! I have pledged my support to these three human warriors as they venture forth to the Pillar of the Heavens! Even the stoutest guardians within the tower shall be as helpless as the morning dew before my blade!"

As the others in the group have their obvious reactions to her, Usagi thinks in her mind, with a mental slap, _"Oh, boy."_

Kizmel managed to listen into their reactions in which she whispers to Kirito, "Your human language is more complex than I knew."

Kirito sighs and after several moments, Kirito tells Kizmel, in a whisper, "Kizmel, all of us weren't born in this castle. We were brought here from a far-off place and we're fighting back to get back to our world."

Kizmel says, with a smile, "I knew that from the start that you were not of this world, Kirito."

Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi give looks of surprise and Usagi asks, "You did?"

Kizmel says, "Yes. I have chosen not to ask you about it until now. It is a story as old as Aincrad itself. It is the last great charm of humanity, is it not? To summon warriors from a foreign land and have them fight to unify all of the Pillars of the Heavens as one? It is part of prophecies in our elven lore. In fact, as I have mentioned before, it is said that among these human warriors, the reborn children of the cursed 'Demon King of Aincrad' will be among them and return to strike him down for his betrayal of them and Aincrad's true purpose and return Aincrad and its people to the world below. However, it is also stated that the human warriors summoned to this world were cursed by the Demon King and would be sent into the depth of oblivion instead of being revived by the last magics of humanity if they are struck down in this castle as the summoning for other worldly warriors usually works." Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are a bit surprised that Kizmel has an interruption of what happened to all of them, the trapped SAO players, in context with the game backstory that Kizmel knows, but they decide not to confuse Kizmel, even with her obviously advanced AI programming, and just agree with her.

Miyako comes over and she asks, "So, she is your ally?"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Yes, she is."

Junpier says, with a smirk, "Whoa, girl. You know how to pick them."

Lind then says, "Everyone, we've come to a decision." Everyone looks at Lind and he says, "After careful consideration, the Dragon Knights Brigade and Aincrad Liberation Squad have decided to abandon the campaign quest." There are looks of surprise from Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and the Digital Knights in which Lind says, "However, we still need to test to see if the items of the quest have an effect on the success of defeating the floor boss. We have decided to agree to 'suggestion' made by the leader of the Digital Knights guild."

Usagi asks, "So, you are going to labyrinth?"

Kibaou retorts, sternly, "No freaking kidding we are! We're going to show that we're not fooling around here! The Liberation Squad is here to ensure the survival and liberation of all players trapped in here and that's what we're going to fucking do! We would be the laughing stock of this place if we left to just jokers like them!" When Kibaou makes a motion to the Digital Knights, they give off annoyed looks and he says, "If someone died because we didn't do our stinking job, I wouldn't sleep at night!"

Yamato says, lowly, "That's one of putting it."

Kirito then says, with a nod, "Today is the nineteenth and we are planning to tackle the boss on the twenty-first. We'll aim to finish the campaign by the evening of the twentieth and report the results, but this means that you'll have to trust our information of course."

Lind says, with a nod, "Of course. I'm not going to quibble about that at this point. It pains me to admit that you and White Swordswoman are doing what needs to be done as front-runners of our group. It also pains me to admit that you, two…are much like Diabel." Lind then asks, "I think that it is a good time to ask you, two. You were the ones that heard his dying words. What did he say at the very end?"

Usagi then says, "After he refused to take the potion from Kirito, feeling that it wouldn't work in time, he told us that we had to take it from there. He told us to kill the boss and save everyone." Lind becomes completely silent and his right hand turns into a fist.

Lind says, "And we will. On this floor…and the next. And all of the other floors until this is over. That's why the Dragon Knights were formed." Lind turns to his comrades and they salute him in unison in which he says, "The DKB will begin tackling the labyrinth. Even I must admit that the White Swordswoman is right. We have no time to be wasting squabbling around like little children. We will meet next at the assembly place in Zumfut on the twentieth, seventeen hundred hours. Good evenings." Soon enough, the members of the DKB march off into the distance.

When they are gone, Kibaou says, annoyed, "Rotten brat! Always looking down on us as if he is so high and mighty!" Kibaou tells the members of his guild, "Well, come on! Let's go, Liberation Squad! What are you freaking doing hanging around here for? We're not going to let these two groups of so-called knights get the better of us! We're the Aincrad Liberation Squad and it is high time that we showed them why we have that name?! Let's find that damn boss chamber, kick that darn boss' ass, and get to the next floor already! We have stupid castle's butt to kick!" The ALS members roar in unison and they headed in the opposite direction in which Kirito believes that they set up headquarters in another town on this floor.

When the ALS members have gone, Taichi says, "I think that it is time that we head off too."

Takeru says, with a smile, "We talked a big game and now, we have got to show it."

Asuna says, "I don't think that we need to prove anything after the field boss fight."

Yamato says, with a smile, "Maybe, but it doesn't mean that they will claim that it is fluke if we don't step up."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Somehow I believe that."

Taichi says, with a smile, "Yeah, we should head off and do our part too."

Junpier tells Asuna and Usagi, "Hope to see you, too, soon! It is nice to know that there are more kickass girls in the frontlines too!"

Asuna says, with a kind smile, "Same here." The Digital Knights then take their leave and soon enough, Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and Kizmel prepare to head back to the dark elf camp with the forest elf commander's written orders in hand.

 _ **December 20, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three**_

Right now, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are with Kizmel in front of a large tree known as a Spirit Tree, which serves as the dark elves' 'transport' between floors. After what happened with the DKB, ALS, and Digital Knights in the previous evening, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi teamed up with Kizmel to finish up the campaign quest for this floor in which they went through the seventh through tenth quests in which they face off against the final 'boss' of the campaign quest on this floor: Fallen Elf Commander, belonging to the race known as Fallen Elves in which they can be identified by being elves with dark violet skin that seems to be like it is rotting and 'fiendish' features. After defeating the Fallen Elf Commander, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi escorted Kizmel, who is holding the Jade Key, the central quest item, to the Spirit Tree, which was a 15 foot wide massive tree with a hollow hole that pulsed with a blue light and at the gateway into the tree, there is a quartet of dark elf sentries.

Kizmel says, "Now, it is clear that the Fallen are in league with the forest elves, we must deliver the key to the fortress on the next floor above with haste. I believe that this task will fall upon me to complete, but sadly, only the people of Lyusula are permitted to pass through the spirit tree's gate."

Asuna gives a solemn look and Usagi says, "We understand, Kizmel. We'll find our own way."

Kizmel says, with a smile, "I know that you will, Usagi. You are strong and I know that guardian at the Pillar of Heaven will be no match for you, Kirito, and Asuna. I believe that my sister had guided you to me to help me and tell me to live on for both of our sakes. You are mighty in body and spirit and the guardians of the pillar shall stand no chance."

Kirito says, with a kind smile, "Sorry not to be able to live up to your expectations, but it will take more than us."

Kizmel says, with a nod, "That's understandable, Kirito. The guardians of the Pillars of the Heaven are very mighty, but I know that you and the other human warriors venturing to return to your homeland will find your way through. I know that the Holy Tree will guild us together." Soon enough, Kizmel shares an embrace with each member of our group of three and afterwards, she gives them her salute in which Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi return it. Kizmel says, "For now, this is farewell. I am sorry not to accompany you to the Pillar of the Heavens, but as I have said before, I know that you will succeed with your fellow otherworld warriors. I will be waiting for you."

Asuna says, "Take care, Kizmel." Kizmel smiles and nods in which she goes into the Spirit Tree where there is a bright flash from it with her HP bar disappearing from Kirito's, Asuna's, and Usagi's 'visual displays'.

 _ **December 20, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor Three, Zumfut**_

Back in Zumfut, the next strategy meeting is about to being where we find Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi walking and soon enough, they found out that the Digital Knights had beaten the DKB and ALS to the boss' room in which thus, the MC of this meeting and the leader of the raid party would be Taichi of the Digital Knights. What surprised Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi was the absence of Morte and while Morte could have taken off his coif and slip into the crowd, Asuna mentioned that based on what she could tell, this is the same lineup as the second-floor boss battle, minus the addition of the Digital Knights, who are the 'leading guild' in this floor boss raid, which, naturally, 'irked' Lind and Kibaou in which Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi can tell that they aren't happy that an 'outsider' to their guilds is in the lead this time. Taichi lead the strategy meeting flawlessly and the whole of the crowd was moved by his leadership including our 'threesome' of 'outsiders'.

After the actual strategy and schedule of the battle with the floor boss has been discussed and roles figured out, Taichi says, "Now, before we continue on, I would like to say that we have been hearing 'rumors' that there have been possible changes to the boss from the SAO beta test in which if we don't get certain items from the War Elf campaign quest, there is a very good possibility that we will fail in this raid. In order to figure this out, we had a group of front-line players outside of our three guilds that have been performing the campaign quest." Taichi turns his attention to Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi and he asks, kindly, "May we have your findings on this matter, Kirito?" Everyone turns their attention to Kirito and with help from Usagi, he gave a brief outline of what happened in the quest.

At the end, Kirito says, "First things first, I have to say that nothing and I mean, NOTHING in the items themselves had any unique relation to the boss. My two partners can attest to that." Asuna and Usagi nod their heads in agreement and Kirito says, "However, after we received our loot, the elf commander gave us one pieces of advice about the boss."

The entire crowd become silent and Usagi says, "The elf commander told us to bring plenty of antidote pots because the boss uses wild poison attacks and that was all. Before you say anything, Kirito told me that the boss in the beta didn't have ANY poison attacks at all."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's right. I believe that you have Argo's guilds based on beta information and you can confirm this. Since this information was the thing altered about the boss from the beta, we should bring as many antidote potions as possible. Now, I will leave it to you, Lind, and Kibaou to decide that this information counts as a 'quest reward crucial to defeating the boss' or not."

There a moment of silence and Taichi responds, "In my opinion, I would have to say 'no', Kirito. The 'rumor' was, as I said, an ITEM that was 'quest reward crucial to defeating the boss', not information. That's why in my honest opinion, I have to say that the 'rumor' is just that…and an INCORRECT 'rumor' at that. However, it doesn't mean that information isn't crucial and your work was for nothing, Kirito. You managed to find out that the 'rumor' was incorrect and you also got information that will assist in the boss battle. And I believe that we should act appropriately. This is a floor boss, so, we can't treat it like regular mob's poison attack. We should treat like a very nasty that could be deadly if we don't prepare for it properly. Right, everyone?" The other players in the audience can't help to nod in agreement and Taichi says, "Since we know, now, the boss could have such a deadly BOSS-level poison, we should review our strategy and tactics and change it exactly to prepare for this poison attack. And then when we are done, we should visit as many item shops as possible and stock up on more than enough antidote potions for tomorrow. As planned, we will begin to our operation at nine o'clock tomorrow. Everyone that's part of the raid will at the north gate of Zumfut. We will travel to Dessel, take a breather, and we will enter the tower. If all goes according to plan, by the end of the day tomorrow, we will be in the next town. Come on, who is with me?!" There is are many loud cheers and applause in which Lind and Kibaou reluctantly clap their hands as well.

Kirito thinks in his mind, with a smile, _"He is going to be a great leader. He is going to be a player that other players are going to aspire and look up to. I know that you would approve of Taichi, Diabel."_ However, as Kirito admired Taichi, he also knows that there is a danger to all of the surviving trapped players in SAO that doesn't involve the game itself. And Kirito mentally swears to put a stop of Morte's actions which would endanger all players in escaping SAO.

 _ **December 21, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Between the Third and Floor Floors**_

On the December Twenty-First of 2022, Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito are in the stairway leading from the floor boss chamber for the floor boss of this floor of Aincrad, which was Nerius the Evil Treant, which, as the name suggest, was a 'tree monster boss', they are being followed by the Digital Knights. Just a short while ago, as the previous sentience 'suggested', the floor boss for the third floor of Aincrad was just defeated and the boss used a wide-area poison skill that it didn't use in the SAO beta, but thanks to preparation beforehand, the stock of antidotes didn't run dry and the boss raid party defeated the floor boss with NO fatalities.

Junpier says, excitedly, "You were really awesome back there!"

Kirito tells Junpier, "Don't sell yourself short, Junpier-san. You and the Digital Knights…I have to say amazing. Your leadership, especially Taichi's leadership, was just…excellent."

Takeru says, with a smile, "Come on, Kirito. We really didn't do too much."

Yamato says, with a smirk, "Just make sure that there are no 'hiccups' like the ones with the previous floor bosses."

Asuna says, "Well, I have to say that you did your 'job' beyond excellent. The whole battle went like clockwork."

Miyako tells Asuna, "Don't sell yourself short, girlfriend. You and the White Swordswoman were impressive yourself. Those swords were amazing."

Usagi says, a bit nervously, "Thanks…"

Asuna says, "Well, I was really trying to get it. The Last Attack bonus."

Kirito says, nervously, "Well, my attack may have hit just microseconds before yours, Asuna…"

Asuna yells out, annoyed, "No, they hit SIMULTANEOUSLY!" Asuna turns her head away in a huff and plenty of the others had a nervous laugh at this.

Usagi asks Taichi, "Why are coming with us, Taichi?"

Asuna says, with a nod of her head in agreement, "Yeah. You, guys, were among the big reasons that the battle went so nearly flawlessly."

Yamato says, with a smile, "Maybe, but we don't want it going to our heads."

Miyako says, with a nod, "Let those guys."

Sam says, with a smile and sigh, "Miyako…"

Kirito asks, "Are you sure that you want to be with us?"

Taichi tells Kirito, "Hey, bro, didn't we imply that we don't care about our image?"

Miyako says, in a teasing tone, "Speak for yourself, Taichi." The other Digital Knights look at Miyako and she says, with a teasing smirk, "Just kidding."

Sam smiles at Miyako and Taichi tells Kirito, "We already know the truth about what happened back with the first floor boss and that just tell us that you are a good character."

Kirito says, nervously, "Well, I wouldn't say that."

Takeru says, with a plain tone, "Well, I have to agree with Taichi. You trusted us with that important piece of information about this Morte player."

Kirito says, "To be honest, you are the only players that would believe me about him."

Sam says, with a plain tone, "I hate to insult you, Kirito, but that's true. With the way that those two guilds are, they may have trusted your word with getting the information about the campaign quest, but only because an 'upstanding guild' of non-beta testers 'stood up' for you."

Kirito says, "No insult taken, Sam."

Junpier asks, "What is the deal with that guy?"

Yamato replies, "I don't know, Junpier. We can't be sure what that guy is thinking. Right now, despite their 'problems', those two guilds represent a large amount of the players in the 'front-lines', we may equal the DKB and ALS in quality, but not quantity. And we are going to need plenty of players, despite the risks, if we want to conquer all of the floors of this place. There are ninety-seven more to go."

Sam says, with a nod, "Yeah. Any discord with the players in the 'front-lines' will only cause problems and happen our progress to get out of here."

Taichi says, "Well, whatever Morte's 'problem', we're going to keep a close eye on him."

Takeru says, with a nod, "Right." The others can't help to nod in agreement and they continue to venture to the door that they will pass through to get to the next floor of Aincrad in which Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi aren't only thing of Morte, but they are thinking of their dark elf friend, Kizmel, who is waiting for them on that floor above…

 **The End…for now**

Whew! We're finally at the end! Sorry for taking so long to get this next one-shot out, everyone! It was a lot more work than I thought! However, I, very well, enjoyed how this came out. The **Progressive** story is going to involve the next floor and it is going to be kind of a 'crossover' of my **Progressive** one-shots and my **Digital Knight** one-shots, but that's all you are getting from me! I'm making sure that I don't put too many spoilers out! See you next time, folks! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	19. Dueling Spheres

Well, we're back for the next story and in this story, things may seem to be familiar, but you are going to be surprised. Trust me, I know that you are. Personally, I try my best to be partially like Naruto when writing my stories and that's NOT being predictable. Hopefully, I will succeed in that matter. Now, before we start, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 19: Spira Stories 3: Dueling Spheres**

Note: This story takes place in the **Hollow Fragment** timeline and takes place around during the time of **Chapter 17** of **World's Song**.

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time), Spira**_

In the world of Spira, we find ourselves on the board the Celsius, an airship, as alarms are blaring where we find Brother and Buddy at the controls of the ship and talking in Al Bhed, their native language.

Rikku then asks, "What's awesome?"

Buddy responds, "We're getting reports of an 'awesome sphere'? Looks it is already drawing quite a crowd. The reports are from Kilika Woods."

Shion asks, plainly, "Awesome sphere?"

Amara says, "That's vague as if I ever heard a description."

Yuna says, "I want that sphere."

Rikku says, excitedly, "It is as good as ours! Let's scramble!"

Lita asks, curiously, "You are going after it just like that?"

Yolei tells Yuna and Rikku, "You don't have a clue on what it can be! It could be awesome as that name suggests or it could be a big fat dud!"

Rikku says, "Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. The only way that we are going to know is to get over and get that sphere! So, let's rock and roll!"

Brother yells out, annoyed, "Who is the leader?! I am! I give the orders around here!"

Paine says, plainly, "We're listening."

Brother then leaps up on his seat and he yells out, "Let's go! Party! Party!" Quite a few members of our heroes and heroines can't help to sweat drop at this for various reasons.

Davis thinks in his mind, _"Something tells me that we are in for a major ride!"_

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time), Spira, Kilika Port**_

Right now, our group finds themselves within a large port town made up of various and very sturdy wooden platforms connecting to hut-like houses sitting on what looks like platforms made of masses of coral.

Mimi says, amazed, "Oh, wow."

Yuna says, with a smile, "This is Kilika Port."

Keiko says, "It is so pretty."

Asuna says, with a smile, "It is."

Paine says, plainly, "You wouldn't say that if you were here two years ago."

Mina asks, curiously, "What makes you say that?"

Yuna says, with a sigh, "Sin. At the very first stage of my journey, he came here and devastated Kilika."

Plenty of the others became solemn and Amara says, "This shows the strength of the human spirit. If they could rebuilt a devastated town in just two years into this, then it shows that people are stronger than those that you fought thought."

Mina says, excitedly, "Hey, that rhymed!"

Amara looks at Mina, annoyed, and Lita tells Mina, annoyed, "Way to ruin a speech, Mina-chan."

Yuna giggles and she tells Amara, "Yes, you are right."

Rikku says, excitedly, "Come on, already! Let's go already!" Soon enough, the group starts to walk through the walkways of the port town.

Ami says, "It is really lovely and peaceful here."

Paine says, "On the surface anyway."

Hinata asks, curiously, "What do you mean?"

Kazuto asks, curiously, "Are there any 'internal troubles'?"

Yuna says, with a sigh, "The Youth League helped in the rebuild the town, but lately, they have been getting into fights with New Yevon."

Darien says, "The Youth League and New Yevon are the two 'organizations' that are vying for political power in your world."

Paine says, with a nod, "With the truth about Yevon and Sin getting out, the people didn't take being lied to for one thousand years lightly and Yevon soon collapsed afterwards."

Cody says, plainly, "And the Youth League and New Yevon came in to fill the void."

Sakura says, with a plain tone, "It sounds like this 'New Yevon' is just the same organization with just 'new' in its name."

Paine says, "You might have a point. New Yevon was founded from the remnants of Yevon and they seem to be hoarding the sphere founded by sphere hunters like us."

Ken says, "And that's one point of 'problems'. Youth League wants radical change and fast while New Yevon's core policy says 'one thing at a time'."

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes, that's right. And New Yevon's policy has a great appeal to many especially those fearful of change."

Darien says, "It is understandable. Even though it was one big lie, it has been around for one thousand years and helped the world for a 'trying time' that kept on for centuries."

Ken says, with a plain tone, "And when the system broke down, it is chaos even through mass anarchy didn't happen. However, your world is in an 'unstable time'."

Yuna says, nodding her head, "Yes, it is."

Rikku tells Yuna, "Now, Yunie, you know why we are here."

Yuna says, with a smile, "I remember Rikku." The group continues on through the port town until they hear a noise coming from one of the hut-like houses in which Yuna, in her curiosity, races off in which the others follow her to the hut-like house where they see a young man stumble out of the doorway.

This young man seems to be in the mid-to-late twenties with short brown hair, half-closed eyes and a square-shaped face. He is tall and muscular, wearing two brown belts adorned with iron buttons on his chest and Yakuza-style bandages around his abdomen. He wears baggy light blue three-quarter length trousers with a green belt, and blue sandals with crisscrossing arm wraps of the same color.

The young man yells out into the hut-like house, solemnly, "Dona!"

A woman's voice says, "My, my, my…" The woman's voice says, "Fine. Have it your way."

The young man says, solemnly, "Dona!"

The woman responds, "Go on. Leave."

The young man says, solemnly, "Dona…" He then howls in despair and he races off into the distance.

Rikku says, solemnly, "Looks like trouble in paradise."

Davis asks, "You know that big guy?"

Yuna says, "His name is Barthello. He is a native of Kilika and we met him, here, in Kilika when I was first came to Kilika during my pilgrimage. He was a guardian to a summoner known as Dona."

Rikku says, "That was the woman's voice that you just heard." Rikku says, "Barthello isn't the brightest tool in the shed, but he is loyal and reliable. He is also Dona's lover."

Mina says, "Doesn't look that way anymore."

Kari says, plainly, "Trouble in paradise." Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and our group follows Yuna into the hut-like house where they meet a young woman in the living room.

This young woman looks to mid-to-late twenties in age with hazel eyes, dark skin, and black hair tied up in a bun trailing into a ponytail, adorned with a feathery blue-white band. She has a red diamond mark similar to a tilak in the center of her forehead. She wears a revealing outfit consisting of an off-white bra, dark blue thong, black stockings and heels and long off-white skirt split in the back and front fading into gray towards the bottom. Both front and back are cross-laced. She wears dark blue sleeves held by crossed white strings and yellow gloves accented with red crystals, a red rope reminiscent of Japanese ceremonial elements and miko accessories, tied crossways around her shoulders and in a large bow in the back.

The young woman says, "Look who we have here."

Yuna replies, "Good to see you, Dona."

Rikku asks, "What's with Barthello?"

The young woman, Dona, responds, "Nothing out of the ordinary. I am with the Youth League and he is with New Yevon."

Lita whispers to the others, "Uh oh."

Yuna says, "You have been together for so long…"

Paine says, "To each their own."

Dona says, "Exactly. Butt out."

Amara tells Yuna, "I don't think that you should go there, Yuna."

Lita says, with a nod, "Yeah, this is their problem to work out."

TK tells Mina, "And you should do the same, Mina-chan."

Mina tells TK, curiously, "Why, Takeru-kun?"

TK tells Mina, "You know why, Mina-chan. You are the 'goddess of love' after all."

Mina says, with a smile, "Yes, I know. But I can't help myself sometimes."

Raye tells Mina, with a plain tone, "Well, you had better help yourself, Mina-chan. We are a LONG way from home right now." Soon afterwards, the group exits out of Dona's home and continues to explore the port in which they go on board a ship where they look to see a Youth League base being built. When they get to the far end of the port, they find themselves at a wooden wall with the only opening is a gate with two guards in front of it.

One of them says, "Meyvn Nooj's briefing will begin shortly."

Another one says, "Interested league members should proceed to the woods immediately." Soon after, the two guards allows our group through the gate.

Mimi says, "Well, that was easy." After they get through the gate, they are in a clearing that's filled with people including Dona herself.

Yuna asks, "These are all sphere hunters?"

Paine says, plainly, "I don't think so."

Rikku says, looking through the crowd, "Look over there." Rikku points to someone in front of the crowd and she asks, "Who is that?" When the others manage to get a look through the crowd, they get a good look at who Rikku is pointing at.

The person looks to be a young man with long brown hair kept in two loops and a ponytail tied with a red band and has blue eyes with blue glasses. He wears red long johns with multiple red and black belts used to keep his prosthetic left arm and left leg on. Over his right shoulder is a purple sleeve with fur at the top. He wears purple boots and carries a silver cane.

The crowd in front of the man stand at attention and Paine says, "Nooj."

Yuna asks, "Meyvn of the Youth League, right?"

Davis says, "Whoa. It looks like the fiends took a good bite out of him."

Darien says, "It looks like he has seen plenty of combat."

Kazuto says, narrowing his eyes at him, "Yeah."

Raye, Amara, and Suguha also narrow their eyes at him and Serena asks them, "What's wrong?"

Amara says, "There is something off about him."

Darien asks Amara, curiously, "Off?"

Raye says, with a nod, "His aura doesn't seem dangerous. But there is something 'off' about it."

Tai asks Raye, "What do you mean by 'off'?"

Raye says, "I'm not sure. His aura doesn't seem to be dangerous, but there might be something within him…something that even he doesn't know about." Plenty of the others can't help to wonder what Raye means by that.

On the meanwhile, the man, Nooj, the leader of the Youth League, says, "Greetings, friends. An important sphere is hidden in Kilika Temple. A sphere documenting the true history of Spira. We are here today to make the contents of that sphere public. Yet, the voice seeking truth goes ignored. My friends, I ask you: Why? Because New Yevon wants to hide the truth! Just like the temples before them! I tell you, now, this has gone long enough. My friends, stand with me, and together, we will bring the truth back to the people!"

The crowd cheers and Mina says, "He really knows how to work a crowd."

Kazuto says, "He is quite a speaker." Kazuto then sees an image of Heathcliff/Kayaba behind Nooj.

Nooj then says, "But let's not overdo it. Our opponents aren't as young as they used to be."

The crowd gives off snickers and light laughs in which Davis says, "Quite the comedian too."

Ken says, "He is quite good as a leader."

Michelle says, "I agree. He definitely has the qualities of a leader."

Amara whispers to Raye, "He doesn't seem to be evil."

Raye says to Amara, in a whisper, "I don't think that his spirit contains any true evil in him. But I sense something…It's faint, but it might be something that even he is not aware of."

Amara tells Raye, in a whisper, "His wind seems pure, but there is an 'ill breeze' in there. However, it is so small that I can't really tell anything. Let's just keep an eye on him." Raye nods her head in agreement with Amara.

Yuna says, "Not exactly what I expected."

Asuna asks Yuna, "How so?"

Rikku says, "Hey, that's our sphere! Oh, poopie!" Rikku asks, "So, what now? Call it quits?"

Cody says, "From what we heard, the sphere already is 'owned' by someone. Namely New Yevon."

Sakura says, "And it looks like that they are about to go at it for the sphere."

Yolei says, nervously, "Should we really get in-between that? I don't think that's a good idea."

Paine says, "Well, I don't know about you, but I would like an 'awesome sphere'."

Plenty of the others look at Paine in surprise and Yolei asks, annoyed, "Are you serious?"

Paine replies, plainly, "Yes, I am."

Yuna says, "Well, since they can't decide who it belongs to, we should make it our own."

Yolei says, exasperated, "You have got to be kidding me."

Paine tells Yolei, "Don't want to fight? Just stay out of our way."

Rikku says, excitedly, "Let's get ourselves a sphere!"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yeah!" Soon after, Yuna, Rikku, and Paine race off leaving the others looking at each other.

Mimi asks, "So, what do we do?"

Kotone says, "I don't think that we should let them go alone."

Rika tells Kotone, with a grin, "You just want to get your hands on that sphere. The treasure hunter in you really wants that sphere."

Kotone asks, with a nervous blush, "What makes you say that?"

Raye says, seriously, "If we do this, we are going against the two major groups that have power here in this world."

Davis asks, with a smirk, "When has that stopped us before?"

TK says, with a nervous smile, "Leave it to you to say that."

Naruto says, with a grin, "Well, Davis has a point. Plus, what kind of friends would we be if we let Yuna, Rikku, and Paine go off on their own? I'm in the mood for adventure, believe it!"

Naruto then starts to take off and Sakura says, with a smile, "There he goes again."

Hinata giggles and she thinks in her mind, warmly, _"Same old Naruto-kun."_ Sakura and Hinata follow after Naruto and the others look at each other.

Suguha says, "Here we go." Soon afterwards, the rest of our heroes and heroines follow up after Yuna, Paine, Rikku, Sakura, Hinata, and Naruto into the wooded area known as the Kilika Woods. Within the woods, there is a group of Youth League members confronting a group of armed guards.

One Youth League member says, "Hand over the sphere!"

Another Youth League member shouts out, "The temples have controlled Spira's secrets long enough!"

One of the guards, a bearded male, retorts, "Spheres? Secrets? What's this about?"

A third Youth League member says, "Don't play dumb! We know that you are guarding something!"

The male retorts, "Hey! We're here to guard our families from rabble like you!"

The Youth League group give out roars of protest and a fourth one retorts, "What did you say?" This one, a male, stomps forward and a guard aims his weapon at him.

The bearded male says, plainly, "I think that it is time that you left." Some distance away, our group was watching the whole thing.

Kazuto says, "This isn't good."

Darien says, with a nod, "Things are a knife's edge."

Amara says, nodding her head in agreement, "One 'spark' and this could turn into all-out brawl and massacre."

Serena asks, curiously, "Isn't there anything that we can do?"

Tai says, "Might be…"

Matt says, with a sigh, "Oh, boy."

Tai says, annoyed, "Thanks a lot."

Sakura says, "It looks like we have a good reason to steal the sphere after all."

Hinata asks Sakura, curiously, "We do?"

Sakura says, "If we take the sphere, if it real, it will focus their attention on us and not each other."

Yolei asks, curiously and nervously, "How is that a good thing?"

Davis says, with a grin, "We have a quick exit, remember."

Shion says, "We had better prepare to transform just in case." The other Sailor Scouts in the group can't help to nod their heads in agreement.

Mimi looks over down a side path and she asks, pointing to where she is looking, "What's happening over there?" Everyone then looks to where Mimi is pointing to see two people talking.

As our heroes and heroines overhear, one of them asks, "The Youth League password was 'Squirter Monkey', right?"

The other person responds, "Wait! Wait! Wait! I thought that the password was 'Squatter Monkey'…"

The group walks away a bit and Tai asks, "Password, huh?"

Michelle says, with a smile, "It might be something that we may need to remember."

Hotaru says, nodding her head, "I agree, Michelle-mama." Soon enough, the group sneaks through the woods trying their best to sneak past guards and crowds of Youth League members, but our heroes and heroines are hard-pressed since the local fiends were making it hard to sneak around in which invited the New Yevon guards and Youth League members to come investigate causing our group to fight them and knock them out. When they reach an intersection, they go to hide in a group of trees.

Just then they hear something coming from the trees and Yuna asks, "What's that?"

Darien says, "Sounds like voices."

Keiko asks, "What's should we do?"

Davis says, "I say let's take a peek." Davis then starts to sneak over and the others start to sneak over in which they look over through the cover of trees to see a group of New Yevon guards with a bearded one with two regular guards with another guard in front of them.

The bearded one, obviously the leader, asks, "What do you mean you forgot the password?" The leader of the guards says, "How many times does this make for you? You're hopeless."

The single guard says, "Sir! I am hopeless! Sir!"

Mina thinks in her mind, nervously, _"At least he is honest."_

The guard leader says, annoyed, "For the love of…All right, let's try one more time." The guard leader then says, "If the number of guards at the checkpoint is odd…the password is Craved Monkey."

The single guard says, "Understood, sir!"

The guard leader then asks, annoyed, "Are you still paying attention?" Another guard joins the other two guards and the guard leader says, "If the number of guards at the checkpoint is even…the password is Craven Monkey." The guard leader says, sternly, "You got it! Forget it, again, and I will feed you to the monkeys!"

The group slowly goes back from the trees to avoid detection and Rika says, with a smirk, "It looks like we just learned how to walk straight up to their headquarters."

Amara says, "Maybe, but we had better be prepared."

Hotaru asks Amara, "Prepared, Amara-papa?"

Kari says, "Wait! If we change into Scout forms…"

Amara says, "We might be mistaken for New Yevon guards…At least, those of us with Valkyrie Sailor Scout forms. All of the guards are wearing armor and wielding weapons."

Lita says, "All of the guards that we have seen are male guards."

Plenty of the females that aren't of Spira gave 'curious' looks and Paine says, "Yevon WASN'T that kind of organization."

Rikku says, "They were rotten to the core, but at least, they weren't THAT rotten." Rikku says, pointing to Yuna, "Technically, as a summoner, Yunie was part of Yevon…at least until she learned the truth and continued her journey with us not as a part of Yevon, but representing Spira as a whole."

Paine says, "Yevon weren't idiots. They allowed men and women as part of their fighting forces."

Rikku says, "Lucil, a friend of ours, was part of the Crusaders, a part of the Yevon fighting forces, and a leader in them."

Yuna says, with a nod, "And New Yevon is no different."

Amara says, with a plain tone, "And there we go."

Mina tells Amara, "Even in Valkyrie Sailor Scout forms, we don't exactly look like New Yevon guards."

Shion says, "Maybe, but as long as we know the password, it might be all the convincing that they need."

Yolei says, nervously, "We can't be sure about that."

Naruto says, looking at Yuna, "Maybe, but we have the hero that saved this world from destruction."

Yuna asks, surprised, "Wait! What?"

Davis says, excitedly, "That's right! If we mention that we are escorting Yuna to meet with the heads of the temple, they will take us seriously!"

Rikku says, excitedly, "Hey, you're right!"

Yuna says, "Hold on! Wait a minute! I didn't agree to this!"

Paine tells Yuna, "You said that you wanted that sphere, didn't you?"

Yuna says, "Well, yes."

Rikku says, with a smile, "Well, you are going to have to put up with your fame a bit longer since I agree with Amara's plan."

Yuna gives a groan of annoyance and she says, annoyed, "Fine." A bit later, at the bottom of the stairway to Kilika Temple, the group of four guards is waiting around in which they look to see our heroes and heroines coming up with the members of the Sailor Scouts that have Valkyrie Scout forms in 'Scout form'.

The leader of the guards says, plainly, "Halt!"

Sailor Celestial says, "We have been sent from Bevelle to escort High Summoner Yuna to the head of the temple. He is expecting her." As the Valkyrie Sailor Scouts point to Yuna, the guards gasp in shock and look at her.

The leader of the guards regains his composer and he says, "Then you will know the password. I'm sorry. No one passes without the password. No exceptions."

Sailor Star says, hiding the nervousness in her voice, "Craven Monkey."

The leader of the guards says, "Thank you, but it is not the best time for Lady Yuna to meet up with the leader. The temple is being raided."

Sailor Celestial asks, "Maybe we can help?"

The leader of the guards says, with a nod, "Most appreciated. Head on up. With all of us, I'm sure that Lady Yuna will be safe. We need to remain down here to make sure no more of those rabble get up there. Thank you."

Sailor Moon says, with a kind smile to hide the nervousness, "No problem." After the guards let them pass, our group heads up the stairs where they meet a second group of guards in which they pass after giving the password. Afterwards, they reach a third set of guards and they had to give the password twice in a row, but they got pass without any trouble from the guards. Soon after, they head up the stairs to a plateau, half-way up to the temple, where a group of Youth League members, led by Dona, are confronting a group of New Yevon guards led by a priest.

The priest says, "Which is why I keep telling you…"

Dona says, interrupting with an annoyed tone, "Shut up. Just give us the sphere and we'll be on our way."

The priest says, "I don't know what you are talking about."

A pair of Youth League then come down from final set of stairs leading to the temple and one of them shouts out, "Hey! I have the sphere!"

Dona says, with a sly smirk, "There you have it." Just then there is a loud rumbling sound as the ground shakes with each rumbling causing Dona to ask, "What is that?"

Kotone says, "I don't like this." Just then everyone sees a group of Youth League members running from a massive mechanized golem.

Mina says, nervously, "And I'm liking that less."

The priest runs in front of the golem and he says, "I had a little something prepared for the occasion. Nice knowing you!" As the priest runs aside to let the golem cause havoc against the Youth League members with our heroes and heroines down the middle.

Yolei says, irritated, "Here we go again!"

Sailor Celestial says, "No kidding." As the battle starts, Rikku switches from her Thief Dressphere into her Black Mage Dressphere while the golem, YSLS-Zero, comes in to attack with its Haymaker attack.

Sakura shouts out, strongly, "I don't think so!" Sakura counters with her chakra enhanced super-strength and when the two attacks hit each other, both Sakura and the golem are sent skidding backwards.

Hinata asks Sakura, "Are you okay, Sakura?"

Sakura says, with a nod, "Yeah, but that thing packs a good punch."

Naruto says, seriously, "But so do we!" Naruto then starts to form his familiar sphere of chakra.

" **Rasengan!** "

Naruto then slams his familiar sphere of chakra into the waist of the golem causing a strong explosion causing the golem to stumble back in which it shutters a bit with Yuna firing her twin pistols and Paine coming in with an **Armor Break** to weaken its defenses.

" **Thundaga!** "

Rikku, using her Black Magic Dressphere, unleashing a powerful lightning attack that significant damages the golem since it is a Machina, Spira's word for machines like the robot golem, which are vulnerable to lightning based attacks. The golem then unleashes a 'rocket punch' style attack where it detaches one of its fists that uses little jets to send the fist at its opponents, but Sailor Star uses her **Linear** Sword Skill to strike the jetting fist and negate the attack.

Rika shouts out, excitedly, "Nice one!"

Strea says, excitedly, "My turn!" Strea comes in with her massive sword and lands a strong strike into the golem's waist causing it to stumble backwards.

Sailor Celestial says, excitedly, "Great job, Strea!"

Sailor Sun says, "Our turn now!" Sailor Sun unleashes a powerful solar energy attack that causes more damage to the machine golem.

Rikku yells out, excitedly, "Awesome! Way to go!"

Rika shouts out, "Give me a boost!"

Strea says, excitedly, "Okay!" Rika runs over to Strea, she spins around, boosts Rika into the air, and Rika brings down her mace right on top of the head of the golem causing it to stumble backwards.

Keiko says, excitedly, "That was great, Liz!"

Rika says, with a smirk, "You know it!" The machine golem manages to recover and charges in for another close end attack, but it is slowed down by Yuna and her twin pistols with Sailor Celestial swinging in with a **Double Circular** Sword Skill attack.

Sailor Moon says, "Let's finish it!"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Got it!" Kazuto and Sailor Moon then perform two successive **Starburst Stream** attacks causing more than enough damage to finally bring down the golem in which it, literally, falls to pieces.

Mina says, with a smirk, "Scrap metal anyone? I hope that they have insurance on that thing."

Amara says, with a smile, "I doubt it, Mina-chan." Soon afterwards, Kotone goes over to a member of the Youth League, who has collapsed to the ground on his bottom, and she sees a pair of spheres in front of him.

Kotone asks, curiously, "Huh? TWO spheres?"

Paine overhears Kotone and she asks, "Wait! Two?" Kotone then picks up both spheres and the two spheres glow in unison causing the whole area to shake as a mystic circle of a kind then appears on the field.

Yolei yells out, exasperated, "Now what?!" Everyone then yells out as they are engulfed by the light which forces them to cover their eyes.

( **A short time soon afterwards** )

A short time after this event, we look to see Kazuto lying down on the ground and he groans as he starts to stir.

Just then Asuna's/Sailor Star's voice fills his ears, "Kirito-kun! Kirito-kun! Wake up!" Kazuto groans as he slowly wakes up to see Sailor Moon, Sailor Star, Rika, Keiko, and Sailor Orion looking over him.

Kazuto asks, weakly, "E-Everyone?" Kazuto shakes his head and groans out as he sits up.

Keiko asks, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Kazuto responds, with a nod, "Yeah." Kazuto is helped to his feet by Sailor Moon and Sailor Star before he nearly falls to the ground when Strea runs up and hugs him.

Strea says, excitedly, "You are okay!"

Kazuto says, with a winch, "C-Can't breathe…"

Kotone says, nervously, "Strea, please let go of Kazuto!"

Strea says, with a pout, "Okay…"

After Strea releases Kazuto from her bone-crushing hug, Kazuto says, "I'm awake now."

Sailor Jupiter says, with a smirk, "I'll bet."

Kazuto asks, "What happened?" Kazuto then notices that he is standing on a grassy field and he asks, "Where are we?"

Sailor Celestial's voice booms out, "Take a look big brother." Kazuto then starts to look around and he is shocked to see that he, the rest of our heroes and heroines in Spira, and our three female Gullwings are standing in the middle of what looks like the second floor of Aincrad!

Kazuto says, shocked, "No way…"

Sailor Star tells Kazuto, "I think that the term is 'yes way', Kirito-kun."

Sailor Moon says, "It looks like we're on the second floor of Aincrad."

Kazuto asks, amazed, "But how?"

Ken tells Kazuto, "We can't be sure that it is the same place."

Yolei asks Ken, "How can you be so sure?"

Cody asks Yolei, "Are you sure that it looks like Aincrad, Yolei?"

Yolei responds, "Yeah, it looks exactly like the second floor of Aincrad."

Sailor Uranus asks, pointing to the distance, "Was that part of SAO?" When everyone looks to where Sailor Uranus is pointing at, everyone sees a group of Ronso battling what looks like a Trembling Ox, a common mob of the second floor of Aincrad/SAO.

Rikku asks, curiously, "Are those Ronso?"

Yuna says, with a nod, "Yes, they are."

Tai says, "They weren't part of SAO."

Sailor Mercury asks, "Was there a place like this on Spira?"

Yuna says, "No. At least, I don't think so. If there was, it must have been before Yu Yevon created Sin."

Rikku asks, surprised, "Wait! Are you saying that we could have traveled into the past?"

Paine says, plainly, "Impossible."

Sailor Venus retorts, "Like a group of people from another world?" As our group looks at the scene, the 'danger sense' of Kazuto, Sailor Celestial, and Sailor Moon goes on 'high alert' in which Kazuto whips out his swords and spins around to block a spear strike from a Ronso male attacking with his spear.

When the others see this, Rika asks, surprised, "Where did he come from?"

Sailor Orion says, looking around, "He isn't the only one." Everyone then sees a group of Ronso surrounding them.

Yolei says, nervously, "We're surrounded!"

Mimi says, "Maybe we should have brought Palmon and the others after all."

Sora tells Mimi, "You know why we couldn't. The people of Spira could have mistaken them from fiends, the creatures terrorizing them, and attacked them." Sora says, looking at the Ronso surrounding them, "But I have to agree that I wish that I would like Biyomon and the others with us right now."

The Ronso facing Kazuto says, "Trinar doesn't know face."

Kazuto says, "We're not from around here."

The Ronso says, "Intruders to Aincrad. Intruder from Bevelle or Zanarkand."

Overhearing this, Yuna asks, surprised, "Bevelle? Zanarkand?"

The Ronso, Trinar, says, "Trinar kill intruders."

Kazuto says, "We're not from Bevelle or Zanarkand."

Trinar says, "Trinar doesn't believe intruders. Intruders lie." Trinar then attacks Kazuto with his spear with Kazuto blocking with his swords. Just then Trinar attacks Kazuto with **Fatal Thrust** , a mid-strength Two-Handed Spear Sword Skill combo, and Kazuto thinks in his mind, as he uses his defensive skills to block the attack, _"That's a Sword Skill! A Spear Sword Skill!"_ On the meanwhile, the others are fighting with the other Ronso, who are wielding various weapons, and plenty of the SAO survivors in the group are surprised that they are using Sword Skills.

Rika shouts out, "How in the heck are they using Sword Skills?"

Tai says, seriously, "You got us!" Yuna and Sailor Orion use their distance weapons, Yuna's pistols and Sailor Orion's arrows, to keep them their attackers at a distance. Just then a group of the Ronso leap back and start to chant a familiar spell.

Sailor Celestial says, shocked, "That's ALO wind spell!" As Sailor Celestial stated, the Ronso unleash blades of mystical wind energy similar to a wind spell from ALO at our heroes and heroines, but Sailor Celestial uses her powers to create a massive twister that not only negates the wind attack, it also knocks the Ronso attacking everyone, minus Kazuto, right off their feet.

Sailor Venus says, excitedly, "Awesome! Great job, girlfriend!" Back with Kazuto, he and Trinar are continuing their fight and when Kazuto finds an opening and strikes with **Double Circular** where he is surprised that his attacks strike a force-field, but Trinar grunts out as he is sent backwards causing Kazuto's eye to quirk at this.

Kazuto thinks in his mind, _"That shield seems to protect him from physical harm, he seems to have felt the hit."_ Trinar attacks with another Two-Handed Spear Sword Skill, but Kazuto, using his SAO knowledge, manages to counter the attack and he unleashes a barrage of attacks that forces Trinar on the defensive in which the Ronso grunts as Kazuto's attacks strikes his 'shield' until the 'shield' surrounding his form shatters from Kazuto using the Duel Wielding Sword Skill known as **Starburst Stream** causing Trinar to be flung onto the ground, hard, while also forcing him to drop his spear.

When Kazuto looms over Trinar, the Ronso says, "End it. Trinar won't beg for mercy."

Kazuto then sheaths his swords and he says, "No. You're done and that means that I'm done. I said that I'm not an invader and I don't kill for no reason. I won our battle and its over." Trinar gives a look of shock as Kazuto rejoins the others.

Sailor Moon says, "I think that we should leave right now."

Tuxedo Mask says, nodding his head, "I believe that Serena is right. It is time to leave."

Rika says, with a nod, "No kidding." Soon enough, the others then take off leaving the group of Ronso dazed and confused in a literal manner.

( **Much later on** )

Inside of a village that looks like Taran Village, the village on the second floor of Aincrad/SAO closest to the labyrinth and in fact, this version of said village in SAO has the same name, our heroes and heroines are inside of an inn room as they discuss about where and possibly WHEN they are.

Kazuto says, "Okay, here are the facts: We seem to be still be in Spira, but we also seem to be in the past before Yu Yevon became Sin."

Darien says, "This place seems to be a real-life Aincrad that was a part of Spira at the time before Sin. From what's known, this place was created by a mixture of technology and magic by someone. This someone brought these people's ancestors by saying that a great reward is on top of this place for those that can get through all one hundred floors. Their ancestors took years to defeat the ninety-nine guardians of the floors before reaching the top of this Aincrad and the creator, who was the final 'boss'."

Keiko asks, curiously, "Did they win?"

Ami says, with a plain tone, "Yes. And when they defeated the creator of this Aincrad, his gift was…this entire castle. He said that he gifted them with this castle…this new world to do with what they will. After his death, the ancestor of these people were given the secrets to this castle and they decide to make it their new home. They settled most of the floors below the top floor and made it their new home in which, in order to protect the secrets of their new home, they sealed the labyrinths and created new guardians for them in which they made that only those that defeat the guardians and pass through the labyrinths or their descendants to use the teleport gates."

Kazuto says, "They settled into their new home and started a new life in this Aincrad."

Amara says, "However, from what we heard, things aren't too peaceful."

Darien says, "It seems like both people down on the surface…namely Spira, are becoming hostile to them. They want the 'ancient secrets' that this castle contains."

Rikku says, "Namely the Machina technology making it fly and the magics that's also a part of it."

Yuna says, amazed, "I can't believe that we had such things in Spira in the past."

Paine says, plainly, "It shows how much history that was lost due to the thousand years of Sin and Yevon."

Mina asks, "So, we're back in this world's past and they had a real-life Aincrad?"

Raye says, "This can't be a coincidence."

Kazuto says, "I don't think so."

Ken says, nodding his head, "I agree."

Rika asks, curiously, "So, what the heck do we do now?"

Asuna says, "There may be only one way to get out of here."

Kazuto says, nodding his head, "I agree, Asuna."

Serena asks, curiously, "You mean…the labyrinth?"

Kazuto says, nodding his head in agreement, "I do, Serena. If this is working like SAO, the key to getting out of this time and returning to the time that Yuna, Rikku, and Paine comes from in this world is to head into the labyrinth. I think that all we need to do is get to the 'boss room' and that's the 'key' to opening the 'gateway' back."

Yuna asks Kazuto, "Are you sure?"

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "I can't be absolutely sure. This is just my 'feeling'."

Tai says, "Well, right now, we don't have much to go on, bud."

Matt says, with a nod, "I have to agree. It may be our only option right now."

Yolei says, nervously, "I don't know."

TK tells Yolei, "We know what you are feeling, Yolei. I feel the same, but our options are limited now." Ken gives Yolei a consoling hug and Yolei gives a warm loving smile at Ken.

Darien says, "However, we shouldn't go rushing in."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Agreed. We should take a rest. It seems like the 'rules of SAO' seem to apply here in their own way and while you can fight in town, you don't suffer any real damage here. You can't hurt someone much less kill someone."

Asuna says, "However, we should still be careful. Red players and guilds found way to kill players even in towns by finding ways around the rules."

Amara says, "I don't think that we need to worry about that."

Tai says, with a nod, "True, but let's be careful anyway." The others can't help to nod their heads in agreement and decide to rest up to plan for the later expedition into this Aincrad's labyrinth.

( **Much later** )

Right now, our group is exploring an exact duplicate of second floor labyrinth on this alternate version of Aincrad seemly in Spira's past where we find Yuna using her pistols against a Lesser Taurus Striker and the minotaur monster roars out as it collapses to the ground in which it 'shatters' into hundreds of 'bubbles' of some kind.

Rikku says, with a grin, "That take you overgrown piece of beef!"

Yolei asks, curiously, "Do you have even cows?"

Kotone says, "It is disturbing on how similar this place is to SAO."

TK says, with a nod, "We know how you feel, Kotone."

Sailor Uranus says, "When these monsters 'dispel', I sense release of a lot of spirit energy."

Sailor Jupiter asks, "Really?"

Sailor Mars says, with a nod, "Yeah. It seems to get absorbed into this place."

Sailor Saturn asks, "Is it like what happens to fiends?"

Sailor Celestial says, "It feels kind of similar, but different."

Sailor Moon asks, curiously, "Different?"

Kazuto says, "It could be this place's version of 'respawns' like in games."

Tai says, "Well, let's not be here when they come back."

Sailor Star says, "Agreed."

Rika tells Sailor Star, with a smirk, "I thought you were used to such things, Asuna."

Sailor Star gives a glare at Rika and Paine says, "Hopefully, we can find a way back."

Davis says, with a nod, "No joke."

Sailor Venus says, "It is a real pain that we can't fly."

Sailor Uranus says, "That isn't surprising to me. There was no flying in SAO and in ALO, you couldn't fly in dungeons."

Sailor Mercury says, with a nod of her head, "That does make logical sense."

Sailor Venus says, annoyed tone in her voice, "It is still a real pain." Soon enough, our heroes and heroines arrive at a door that's familiar to all those that survived SAO.

Rikku says, nervously, "Creepy."

Keiko says, with a nod, "It is."

Yuna asks, "Is this…?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "This is where the boss monster for this floor of Aincrad resides."

Sailor Star nods her head in agreement and Tuxedo Mask asks, "If this Aincrad is similar to the one in SAO, then the boss could be similar to the one that all of you that survived SAO faced. Can you tell us about it?"

Sailor Moon says, "There actually three bosses. Two sub-bosses and one main boss. The sub-bosses are known as Colonel Nato and General Baran, who was the original floor boss of the beta."

Sailor Star says, "The true floor boss is known as Asterius the Taurus King and it was a massive boss in which he had an electrical breath attack that can stun you if it hits."

Kazuto says, "That's back in SAO. Here, you might suffer a good amount of electric shock."

Tuxedo Mask says, "If their attacks are like the versions that you faced, they might have similar effects."

Sailor Moon says, concerned, "Let's be careful, everyone." Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and they enter into the chamber where it seems to be empty, but then they hear loud stomping and the ground starts to shake in which they look to see Colonel Nato and General Baran stomp out into the open.

Sailor Celestial asks, "Does this look familiar?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Very, Sugu."

Rikku asks, "I see only two overgrown bulls. Where is the third?"

Sailor Moon says, "Back in SAO, Asterius didn't come out until General Baran was only his last legs."

Sailor Orion says, "Sounds like the classic situation of your subordinates unable to defeat your enemy, you need to do it yourself."

Sailor Star says, "Even if we know what's coming, we need to be careful."

Kazuto says, "There could be any number of differences between this situation and what Asuna, Serena, and I experienced. We weren't prepared for the unexpected last time and we nearly died."

Sailor Moon says, with a nod, "Yes. We need to be careful."

Naruto says, with a confident smile, "Don't worry, I got this! Believe it!" Afterwards, our heroes and heroines go into battle against these versions of the sub-bosses of the second floor of Aincrad in which they seem to have similar moves to the ones that Sailor Moon, Sailor Star, and Kazuto faced back in SAO, but Naruto, Sailor Orion, and Yuna proved to be the most helpful with Naruto using his **Shadow Clone Jutsu** to produce massive amounts of Shadow Clones to confuse the two minotaur boss monsters with Sailor Orion using her arrows with Yuna using her guns for distance attacks with Sailor Orion getting accurate shots that disorient Colonel Nato and General Baran. However, when General Baran seem to be waning in strength, just like before in SAO, a group of monoliths appears and out of a 'portal', Asterius the Taurus King appears in his glory over everyone.

Rikku shouts out, flabbergasted, "Whoa! He's huge!"

Paine says, plainly, "I think that 'huge' is an understatement, Rikku."

Yuna asks, nervously, "How are we supposed to fight that?"

Kazuto says, seriously, "It's crown! If you hit it in the crowd, it will stagger and be unable to use its major attacks mainly! However, it may be able to unleash its electric breath attack! Watch out for it!"

Sailor Orion says, with a nod, "Understood."

Sailor Celestial says, "The rest of you should support! I'll take care of these overgrown cows!"

Sailor Moon says, concerned, "What? Hold on!"

Sailor Celestial says, with a sly grin, "Don't worry, sis! I got this!" Sailor Celestial then uses her twin swords to block an attack from Colonel Nato before pushing him and leaping high into the air to bring a powerful slice that cuts the sub-boss monster in two causing the minotaur to roar out before 'dissolving' into hundreds of spirit bubbles. Sailor Celestial then attacks General Baran and leaps over the paralyzing shockwave that he creates when he slams his hammer onto floor in which she comes in with two powerful kendo style sword slashes causing General Baran to suffer the same fate as Colonel Nato.

Keiko says, amazed, "Wow."

Rika whistles and she says, with a grin, "We can really see the true swordsman…Or in this case, 'swordswoman' in the family." Kazuto gives an annoyed look at Rika causing her to smirk teasingly as the battle continues on with Asterius with Sailor Orion using her bow and arrows in which she strikes the crowd of the boss monster, again and again, causing to stumble and roar out in pain and anger as it is hit over and over.

Sailor Star tells Sailor Orion, "Wow, Sinonon, you are really good."

Sailor Orion says, plainly, "It's nothing." Our group continues to battle against Asterius with Sailor Orion using her arrows to strike Asterius right in the weak point, its crown, causing it to be limited in its attacks, but Asterius managed to prepare his electric breath attack.

Kazuto shouts out, "Look out! Here comes his breath attack!" Immediately, everyone starts to scatter away from Asterius' 'line of fire', but Keiko trips and falls when Asterius unleashes its attack.

Sailor Star says, worriedly, "Silica-chan!"

Kotone says, worriedly, "Watch out!" But then Sailor Celestial and Sailor Saturn make their appearances in front of Keiko and they unleash a combined **Reflect** in which it manages to barely bounce back in which the 'backlash' knocks Sailor Celestial and Sailor Saturn down to the ground on their bottoms, however, Asterius howls out as he is hit by his own reflected attack and his body sparks with electric energy.

Sailor Neptune goes over to Sailor Saturn and she asks, concerned, "Are you and Celestial okay, Firefly?"

Sailor Saturn says, with a smile, "We're okay, Neptune-mama."

Sailor Celestial asks Keiko, "Are you okay Keiko?"

Keiko says, with a smile, "Yes, I am! Thank you!"

Paine says, seriously, "It's paralyzed!"

Sailor Orion says, plainly, "Time to end this." Sailor Orion then puts another arrow in her bow, but it gathers a lot of 'golden energy' into arrow and Sailor Orion fires it where it strikes the face of Asterius causing it to howl as he collapses backwards before shattering into hundreds upon hundreds of 'spirit bubbles'.

Sailor Venus says, excitedly, "Great shot!"

Rikku says, excitedly, "Bingo! We won!"

Kotone then says, pointing to something, "Over there!" Everyone looks to where Kotone is pointing at and they see a familiar pair of sphere.

Yuna asks, amazed, "Are those…?"

Paine says, with a nod, "It has got to be."

Sailor Jupiter says, excitedly, "Awesome! We did it!"

Sailor Orion says, plainly, "It would seem so."

Sailor Uranus says, nodding her head in agreement, "Yes." The group then starts to move forward towards the sphere until Kazuto's, Sailor Moon's, and Sailor Celestial's 'danger sense' goes wild and they stop in their tracks.

Sailor Moon says, concerned, "Wait!"

Tuxedo Mask asks, "What is it?"

Kazuto says, "We aren't alone in here."

Sailor Star asks, curiously, "Are you sure, Kirito-kun?" Just then they hear footsteps echo throughout the room and everyone looks around until Sailor Celestial looks in one direction.

Naruto asks, "What's up?" Soon enough, everyone else looks in that direction and plenty of the Sailor Scouts are shocked to see an exact duplicates of Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial come out of the shadows.

Davis yells out, shocked, "Whoa!"

Keiko asks, stunned, "Why are there TWO of Serena and Suguha?!"

Sailor Saturn asks, confused, "What's going on?"

Kotone says, confused, "I…I don't know!"

Tuxedo Mask says, "It must be a technology or magic!" The 'duplicates' of Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial draw their swords and they charge the real Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial, who quickly get out their swords where they defend themselves from the attacks of their 'doppelgangers'.

Kazuto says, worriedly, "Sugu!"

Sailor Celestial says, "Wait, big brother! We don't anything about these 'doppelgangers'."

Sailor Moon says, "Celestial is right! Let us fight them and you can figure out their strengths and weaknesses!"

Tuxedo Mask says, concerned, "Wait!" However, it is too late as Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial fight their 'doppelgangers' intensely and they quickly find out that their 'duplicates' are fighting them on an even scale as well as their exact fighting styles!

Sailor Jupiter asks, "Is it me or do they look they are fighting mirror versions of themselves?"

Kazuto says, "You aren't, Lita. Asuna and I know Serena's fighting style from SAO and she hasn't changed since we escaped there."

Sailor Star says, with a nod, "Yes. Ever since we got out of SAO, her sword fighting style in SAO has transferred to her fighting style as Sailor Moon."

Sailor Uranus says, with a nod, "I agree. Kitten's combat style as Sailor Moon has radically changed since she got back."

Sailor Venus asks, curiously, "Has Serena had a 'fighting style' before SAO?"

Sailor Mars asks, plainly, "Do we really need to ask that?"

Sailor Moon yells out, annoyed, "I'm right here, you know! You aren't helping!" Sailor Moon glances at the others, annoyed, in which, she barely dodges a swipe from her 'doppelganger'.

Sailor Celestial says, amazed, "It is like fighting a mirror!" Just then Sailor Celestial yelps as she blocks a flame attack from her 'duplicate' and she says, stunned, "Okay, really like a mirror!"

Sailor Moon blocks a **Double Circular** attack from her 'duplicate' and she says, "No kidding!"

Paine says, with a plain tone, "They are fighting 'mirror images' of themselves."

Yuna asks, confused, "But how is that possible?"

Rikku responds, confused, "Don't look at me!"

Tuxedo Mask then gains an idea and he yells out, "Meatball Head, use the 'old switchoo' trick!"

Kazuto realizes what Tuxedo Mask means immediately and he yells out, "Do it!"

Quickly, Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial figure out what Tuxedo Mask and Kazuto meant and Sailor Moon says, "Celestial, switch!" Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial get back-to-back and when their 'duplicates' get close, the real Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial switch opponents with Sailor Moon attacking Sailor Celestial's 'doppelganger' and Sailor Celestial battling against Sailor Moon's 'doppelganger' which quickly proves the key with Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial overwhelming their opponents due to them fighting someone that isn't a 'mirror image' of themselves. With her kendo style of Duel Wielding, Sailor Celestial slashes through Sailor Moon's 'duplicate' with Sailor Moon impaling Sailor Celestial's 'doppelganger' causing them to vanish into hundreds upon hundreds of 'spirit bubbles'.

Rika shouts out, excitedly, "Way to go!"

Sailor Venus says, excitedly, "Classic! If you are facing a doppelganger of yourself, if you have a friend that has the same problem, switch 'dance partners'! It always works in the anime and manga!"

Sailor Jupiter says, "This isn't an anime or manga, Mina-chan."

Hinata asks, "So, what should we do now?"

Naruto says, running over to the spheres, "That's simple, Hinata-chan! We get these babies and go home!"

Tai yells out, "Hey! Hold on!"

Ken says, "We don't know what it would do!" However, Naruto snatches the spheres and, in that instant, our group yell out as they are engulfed by a bright light.

 _ **July 2025 (Earth time), Spira, Celsius**_

Back aboard the Celsius, Brother, Buddy, and Shinra were on the bridge as Shinra is typing on his computer screens.

Buddy asks Shinra, "Anything?"

Shinra responds, "Nothing on the monitors so far."

Brother yells out, "Not good enough! Yuna! Where is Yuna?!" Brother then starts to say stuff in his native Al Bhed tongue.

Buddy says, "Easy there, bro. You are going to pop a blood vessel."

Shinra says, "This is really interesting. Their signals were at the area of Kilika Temple and then they mysterious 'vanished'. Very interesting."

Brother shouts out, annoyed, "Interesting?! Interesting?!"

Buddy says, "Easy there. Knowing them, they will 'pop back' right in front of us." As if on cue, there is a bright flash of light that forces all three Al Bhed to cover their eyes and when the light fades away, they look to see our group right in front of them.

The group looks around and Yuna says, amazed, "We…We're back on the Celsius!"

Sakura tells Naruto, annoyed, "Watch it next time, Naruto!"

Brother shouts out, excitedly, "Yuna!" Brother leaps out of his seat and runs to hug Yuna, but Rikku and Paine trip him up causing him to crash onto the floor on his face.

Buddy asks, "Mind telling what happened?"

Rikku says, "It is a LONG story."

Davis says, "A REALLY LONG story." As the group tell their story to the rest of the Gullwings, Naruto hands over the spheres to Shinra in which the young Al Bhed starts to analyze the spheres.

When they were done, Buddy says, amazed, "Wow. I have to say that you were on quite an adventure."

Rikku says, plainly, "No kidding."

Brother asks, confused, "How can you been have transported to the distant past?"

Buddy says, "You got me."

Paine says, "It shouldn't be possible."

Yolei says, "Trust us, Paine. We went through a lot that should have been 'impossible', but it happened."

Buddy asks, "But did you really travel to the ancient past?"

Paine says, "Well, that place, Aincrad, had Ronso and it mentioned Bevelle and Zanarkand."

Shinra says, "It is not outside the realm of possibility that a massive floating castle 'world' floated above Spira back in the day. Remember, the few airships that are in Spira right now, including ours, are actually ancient Machina. If they could create machines such as this, it isn't unreasonable to believe that they didn't create a whole 'world' that can fly through the air."

Buddy says, with a nod, "I have to say that Shinra has a point. Remember, thanks to what Yu Yevon did as Sin along with Yevon, much history has been lost, so, maybe we had an Aincrad of our own."

Davis says, "Well, you don't have one, right now."

Ken says, "It is most likely that Aincrad crashed during the war. Remember, they said that there were troubles with both Bevelle and Zanarkand and that Aincrad was constructed with advanced technology and powerful magics."

Trista says, with a nod, "That's a logical theory, Ken."

Kazuto says, nodding his head, "I have to agree. Most likely, both of those 'places' wanted to get their hands on the technology, magics, or, most likely, both."

Yuna asks, "For what purpose?"

Kazuto says, "You mentioned that there was a great war between Bevelle and Zanarkand which was the reason why Yu Yevon became that 'Sin' creature, right? What we experienced could have happened during or, maybe more likely, before the war between Bevelle and Zanarkand. If it was before that war, it could have been at the time when tensions were really high between the two 'powers' and they wanted an edge."

Paine says, with a nod of understanding, "And most likely, it ended up that our Aincrad ended up destroyed and its remains are most likely in the oceans of Spira."

Shinra says, with a nod, "That's highly likely."

Mimi says, "That's actually pretty sad."

Kotone asks, curiously, "But who built this Aincrad? And why? Why does it looks like the Aincrad that we know?"

Rikku says, "If all that was real, it could have been a coincidence."

Amara says, "A real-life version of a place that was the setting for a 'death game'? I seriously don't think so."

Darien says, with a nod, "I agree."

Kazuto says, nodding his head in agreement, "Same here."

Serena gives a yawn and she says, "Maybe we can continue tomorrow."

Asuna says, with a smile, "Yes, I believe all of us are exhausted."

Naruto says, with a nod, "No joke. What an adventure."

Hinata says, with a smile and nod of her head, "I agree, Naruto-kun. Let's take the rest of the day off."

Tai says, with a nod, "No joke. I think that we are in need of a rest."

Strea says, excitedly, "Okay, I get to sleep with Kirito!"

Kazuto gives a yelp of nervousness and Asuna tells Strea, annoyed, "No, you may not young lady!" Strea gives a pout and a few of Kazuto's other female friends blush for obvious reasons.

( **Later on** )

Within the cabin area of the Celsius, our group from Earth are assembled within the cabin where we find Kazuto and Serena is looking down on one of the beds where they find Naruto sleeping with Sakura, Hinata, and Suguha snuggling up to him.

Serena asks Kazuto, a bit nervously, "And Suguha sleepwalked to Naruto?"

Kazuto says, with a nervous tone and nod of his head, "Yep."

Rika comes over and she says, slyly, "It looks like someone is worried that someone else might become his sister's new 'big brother'."

Kazuto asks, with a blush in his cheeks, "What?"

Rika says, with a sly grin, "Don't blame her. In our world, he's famous and not to mention that he has developed quite nicely especially thanks to that 'super-soldier' stuff turning him into quite a hunk. Hey, you aren't bad, but you still have a ways to go."

Kazuto says, annoyed, "Thanks a lot."

Rika says, with a smile, "It isn't surprising. You did kind of spend two years in a virtual world where you haven't been using your body and you had to build up your body again." Rika tells Serena, "We should know."

Serena says, annoyed, "Don't remind me."

Rika tells Kazuto, with a sly grin, "But it isn't surprising that she would want to get close to Naruto. I mean, the two of you are so similar."

Kazuto asks Rika, curiously, "Really?"

Rika asks Kazuto, with a curious quirk in her eyebrow and a smirk, "Really? Have you read the manga or seen the anime?"

Serena says, changing subjects, "Anyway, there are still so many mysteries in this place."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Agreed."

Rika asks, curiously, "Are you sure that it isn't just a coincidence?"

Kazuto says, "I really don't think so." Kazuto looks at Serena and he says, "As much as some of us want it to be, I doubt that this is any coincidence. This Aincrad and SAO have a connection."

Serena gives a solemn look and Darien says, "We will figure this out."

Serena says, with a warm smile, "I know that we will."

( **On the meanwhile; on the bridge** )

On the bridge of the Celsius, Paine is with Shinra as they are looking at a viewscreen.

Paine asks Shinra, "Is this what was contained on the sphere?"

Shinra says, "Yes." As we look at the screen that Paine and Shinra are looking at, it is a video clip that seems to show a place that looks exactly like the Town of Beginnings in Aincrad/SAO where there are three groups of people, one group dressed like the Knights of the Blood Oath guild of SAO, another group dressed similar to the Aincrad Liberation Army, and a third group that looks like soldiers/warriors/guards belong to Yevon/New Yevon.

Paine asks, "What could this mean?"

Shinra says, "That's a good question." As Yuna and Rikku come over to see what they are looking at, Paine and Shinra glance at the other sphere and can't help to wonder what they will see in that one.

 **The End…for now**

And there we are go. Oh, did you think that this next 'Spira Stories' was just going to be another retelling of FFX-2 with our heroes and heroines in it?! Wrong! Something tells me that you didn't expect this twist coming. What's the story behind Spira's Aincrad? Well, you are just going to have to read and find out, everyone! Please read and review and no flames! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	20. Absolute Sword

Well, we have reached story number 20, everyone! *cheers* *celebration* So, what's it going to be this time? Not that would be giving spoilers and that's a bad thing, folks! You are going to have to read to find out! However, once again, before I begin this story, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 20: Mother Rosario 1: Absolute Sword**

Note: This story takes place in 'main' SMO timeline in-between Arc II of **SAO Shippuden** and **Alternating Scales**.

 _ **Late December 2025, ALO, New Aincrad, Floor 24**_

On the twenty-fourth floor of New Aincrad in ALO, we are north of the main city where we find ourselves on a small island with a large tree on it. A group of ALO players are assembled together as they watch up where they see none other than Leafa fighting against another female player.

This female player is a slim female Imp that looks to be of mid-to-late teen years with milky white with a hint of purple skin, lustrous and gorgeous, long, purplish-black hair, and red eyes. She wore obsidian chest armor, a bluebottle violet tunic and a windswept skirt of the same color beneath the armor. A thin, black sheath hung on her waist and she has a one-handed longsword that's narrow and as dark and translucent as her obsidian armor.

Why was Leafa fighting against this female Imp player? Well, just recently, this new player appeared and sent a challenge to an MMO forum for opponents in which thirty elite ALO players came to 'teach the newbie a lesson' in which all of them lost against this female player in one-on-one duels with none of them dropping her HP below thirty percent! This said to players that she must have converted from another game, but for the players, it shouldn't mean that this new female player should be overwhelming causing plenty of questions to be asked of her. However, she is also wagering a powerful OSS, Original Sword Skill, that's an 11-hit combo!

Why is that a big deal? Well, the OSS system is a new twist to the SAO Sword Skills that was added to ALO when the game was transferred from RCT Progress to Ymir in which players can create their own Sword Skills, but the catch is that the player must 'craft' the skill WITHOUT any help from the system. With the speed and timing factors, among other things, which is why Sword Skills relies on the system to help players, it is hard for players to 'craft' anything beyond a 5-hit sword hit combo. Leafa created something special during her time in Rainbow Gardens, but that's another story.

However, Leafa isn't in this duel for the OSS. It is more for the challenge since she and her friends and family heard about what she had done even through she had just became a player in ALO and they are in it for the challenge. Well, right now, Leafa is fighting this female Imp player in the air figuring that her aerial experience will give her an edge.

Leafa thinks in her mind, _"I've got this! No matter how skilled and fast that she is, she just converted from another game. I've been in ALO for years and very few people have matched my flight combat abilities…other than big brother and sis of course. I've got you now."_ Leafa prepares to attack, but Leafa is surprised as her opponent smirks and she then attacks with incredible speed. Leafa thinks in her mind, stunned, _"Whoa!"_ Leafa, by millimeters, manages to avoid the attack and it is only because of her 'warrior instincts' as Sailor Celestial and her experiences that Leafa avoids the attack causing her to think, shocked, _"What the heck was that?!"_

The female Imp player says, with a smile, "Wow! You are good! A lot of other opponents never see that coming!"

Leafa thinks in her mind, amazed, _"That was…incredible! She…She's good…really good…"_ Leafa's eyes narrow and she thinks in her mind, _"She isn't any ordinary player. I should know. Could she be…?"_ Leafa then glances down below in which she sees Kirito, Lisbeth, Silica, Usagi, Minako, Makoto, Hino, Tomoe, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna and Leafa then looks back at her opponent causing her to think in her mind, _"This isn't fair. I shouldn't be using my full strength like this. This is a game after all. We should have be having fun, but I can't help to be curious about her. And I'm sure that big brother and Usagi noticed what I noticed about her by now."_

The female Imp player asks, curiously, "Is something wrong?"

Leafa responds, with a smile, "Nope." Leafa takes a deep breath, goes into a kendo stance, and closes her eyes in which when Leafa opens her eyes to show her intense 'warrior look' in her eyes causing the female Imp player to be surprised by this. Leafa then attacks with faster speed and reflexes than before in which Leafa's opponent is hard pressed to counter causing her to be shocked at first, but the female Imp player manages to counter.

Leafa's friends/family see this and Silica says, amazed, "Wow."

Minako says, with a nod, "I'll say."

Haruka says, with a curious quirk of her eyebrow, "Well, it seems that Leafa isn't holding back."

Makoto asks, amazed, "Whoa! Isn't that a bit overkill?"

Usagi says, "That player isn't an ordinary VRMMO player."

Usagi's fellow Sailor Scouts look at Usagi and Michiru asks, "She isn't?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Usagi is right. Sugu found that out too. She is going 'full force' to find out who and what she is."

Hino asks, curiously, "Do you think that she is…?"

Usagi responds, curiously, "I…I don't know, Pyro. I really don't know." Leafa continues her intense battle with her opponent and with the two of them matching each other move for move.

Leafa thinks in her mind, stunned, _"She is incredible! Her ability is way above any regular ALO player. It isn't just her stats, which much large and in charge, but there is something else about her. Something…Something…"_

The female Imp player says, excitedly, "Oh, wow! You are just amazing! You are really good!"

Leafa is shocked that her opponent can talk in such a way while they are still fighting and she thinks, _"Geez! She can still talk like she is having a good time and yet, she is matching me well. I'm going in 'full bore' using all of my experiences, in VR and as a Sailor Scouts, experience, skill, and 'warrior instinct'. I'm fighting this as if I'm fighting in real combat and she is…"_ As Leafa continues to clash her sword with her opponent's sword, her eyes widen and she thinks, _"That's it!"_ Leafa tells her opponent, with a whisper, "I get it now. You BELONG here…in this world." Leafa's opponent gives a look of surprise and she then gives a nervous smile as she moves in with an incredible fast attack that Leafa barely manages to counter. In the end, the duel ends in a draw between Leafa and her opponent, whose name is Yuuki. Afterwards, Leafa is sitting on the ground and breathing heavily while plenty in the crowd of players looks at both of them.

One of them says, "They are incredible!"

Another one says, "She matched one of the Nymphs of ALO and one of the top Sylph warriors!"

A third one says, nervously, "Man! I don't think that I can handle her if she can fight one of the best players that ALO has ever had."

Minako says, amazed, "Wow! She really gave you a run for your money!"

Leafa says, breathlessly, "Tell me…about it…"

Haruka asks Leafa, "So, did you get your answer?"

When Leafa has regained her breath, she responds, with a nod, "Yeah." Leafa was about to say something, but Kirito stepped forward.

Kirito says, plainly, "I would like to find out for myself."

The female Imp player, Yuuki, yells out, "Next! Anyone else want to try me?"

Kirito asks, "You mind if I go next?"

Yuuki asks, "Okay! On the ground or in the air?"

Kirito responds, "On the ground." Soon enough, Yuuki uses her menu to give out the 'duel request' in which Kirito accepts and makes it a 'full-finish duel' in which the duel ends when all of a player's HP is gone which the only reason that Leafa's and Yuuki's duel was tie was due to the timer running out and both of them having the exact same HP when the timer hit zero. Kirito and Yuuki prepare for their duel as the timer starts to count down and Yuuki gets a good look at Kirito.

Yuuki then asks, "Hey, you are strong, aren't you?"

Kirito is surprised by this and he responds, "I don't want to toot my own horn, but yeah." Kirito thinks in his mind, _"She has very good instincts."_ Soon enough, the two of them start going at it and soon enough, Kirito notices what Leafa realized in her duel with Yuuki as he clashes swords with her. At one point, Kirito and Yuuki were clashing blades and he asks, "You're a full-time resident in this world, aren't you?" Yuuki gives a look of surprise and then gives a nervous look as she hits him with an incredible attack that knocks his HP to zero causing Kirito to turn into a black Remain Light causing a lot of his friends to become shocked.

Lisbeth says, stunned, "No way!"

Silica asks, stunned, "Kirito…lost?"

Leafa thinks in her mind, amazed, _"Big brother lost? Sure, he wasn't using 'full strength' since this isn't a 'critical situation' and despite who and what she is…but then again, knowing that about her, I shouldn't be truly surprised that big brother couldn't beat her."_ Afterwards, Michiru uses a revive spell to bring Kirito back from a Remain Light.

Another player shouts out, "I want to try!"

Yuuki says, nervously, "Well…"

Usagi then steps forward and she asks, curiously, "Maybe you should try me next?" Everyone then looks to see Usagi walking up and she then draws both of her swords.

Makoto asks, curiously, "Usagi?"

Tomoe says, amazed, "She just drew both of her swords!"

The crowd of players give looks of awe and amazement in which Yuuki says, "Well, maybe one more wouldn't be bad. Okay, sure!" Yuuki asks, "So, would you like to fight in the air and on the ground?"

Usagi replies, "On the ground."

Yuuki says, with a smile, "Okay!" Soon enough, they go through the same 'process' to get their duel start and the two of them take their defensive stances with the audience looking at the whole thing intently.

Makoto says, amazed, "I never seen Usagi so interested."

Haruka says, looking at Leafa and Kirito, "Seeing what happened with the two of them, it shouldn't be so surprising." The two of them look at each other and Usagi takes a deep breath in which Usagi closes her eyes.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"I've got to remember those feelings…those times…I need to bring them back for this moment…"_ Usagi opens her eyes and showing an intense look in her eyes causing Yuuki to be surprised and when it is time to get started, Usagi charges in with incredible speed in which Yuuki manages to block one sword strike with her sword, but Usagi comes in from her side with the other, however, Yuuki throws Usagi's sword away from her sword and she does a mid-air spin where she barely dodges Usagi's second sword strike. Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, _"Whoa!"_ Usagi gets over her shock and she continues a fierce assault against Yuuki, but despite using both swords in a Duel Wielding fashion similar to her SAO style, Yuuki manages to match her move for move, however, Yuuki is hard-pressed against Usagi.

Minako says, amazed, "Whoa!"

Another player says, stunned, "Whoa! Look at them go!"

Yet another player shouts out, "What do you expect from one of ALO's 'great Nymphs'?"

Silica says, awe-struck, "Usagi-chan is really going all out against her."

Haruka says, "Her abilities are far above the regular VRMMO player. Usagi is fighting to figure out who and what she is." Haruka says, looking at Leafa and Kirito, "Right now, Kirito and Leafa know the truth about her already."

Lisbeth asks, confused, "So, why fight her in the first place?"

Makoto says, "Sometimes you need to get your own 'personal feel' on others rather than taking other's words on them. It isn't because that their words aren't trustworthy, but it is something that you have to 'know' for yourself and sometimes others can't really explain certain 'feelings' unless you experience 'them' for yourself."

Minako asks Makoto, "Is that a 'martial artist' type thing?"

Hino says, "It can be a 'thing' for more than just fighters, Minako. It can be artists, writers, or someone of the like." Usagi and Yuuki continue their intense one-on-one duel causing awe and amazement from the audience in which Yuuki barely manages to fend off Usagi's two swords with both of them landing tiny 'cuts' where they are chipping away at their HP, bit by bit. As Usagi continues her battle with Yuuki, she realizes something about her.

Usagi thinks in her mind, amazed, _"She isn't 'one that survived'. This girl…she is part of this world today! But how?! How can she be so immersed in this kind of world like we, once, were?"_ Usagi says, "This is what they saw."

Yuuki asks, confused, "Huh?"

Usagi asks Yuuki, "How are you so completely immersed in this world? How are you living in this world?"

Yuuki gives a surprised look, she then sighs, and she says, "Such a shame. You, the black-haired guy, and blond-haired girl are really, really strong." Usagi gives a confused look and she yelps as she barely dodges Yuuki's next attacks in which Usagi doesn't see the attack, but her 'instincts' allowed her to avoid it.

Usagi thinks in her mind, shocked, _"Whoa! I didn't see that! It was only my instincts that allowed me to avoid that! I think that Leafa only avoid these attacks the same way! She…She's beyond a SAO survivor!"_ Usagi continues to barely keep up with Yuuki and the two of them fight on in which, in the end, like Leafa's duel with Yuuki, the duel between Usagi and Yuuki ends up as a tie between them when the timer runs out and they end up with the exact same HP through both of them end up in the red zone. With the end of the duel, Usagi rejoins the others while Yuuki started to head off.

Another player shouts out, "Hey! Me next!"

Yuuki says, with a kind smile, "Sorry, but I think that's enough for today!"

Other players look at the player that called out to challenge Yuuki and one of them shouts out, annoyed, "Yeah, loser! You are just trying to get your hands on the super OSS skill by fighting her when she's tired out!" As this player got berated by other players, Yuuki takes off into the distance while Kirito, Leafa, and Usagi look at each other in which they give a silent nod of agreement at something.

 _ **Late December 2025, ALO, New Aincrad, Floor 1**_

On the first floor of New Aincrad, we find ourselves within the main town, the Town of Beginnings, which is an exact duplicate of one in SAO's Aincrad, with certain exceptions, including Blackiron Palace in which instead of Monument of Life, which had the names of all of the players in SAO with each person that died having their name crossed, there was the Monument of Swordsman, where the names of players that defeated the floor bosses of New Aincrad in which multiple raid-party attacks, which are typical, only the leaders of the parties of the players are written into the stone, but if one group of at most, seven players, defeats the floor boss, the whole party gets their names engraved in the monument, but the second situation has never happened so far.

In the streets of the Town of Beginnings, Kirito, Leafa, and Usagi are together and discussing what happened with them earlier in which Kirito asks Leafa and Usagi, "So, you 'felt' the same thing when you dueled her?"

Leafa and Usagi nod their heads in agreement and Leafa says, "Yeah. She isn't any ordinary VRMMO player. It isn't just her stats. She isn't just playing. She is part of this world."

Usagi tells Leafa, amazed, "You noticed?"

Leafa tells Usagi, "Sis, even through I haven't been through what you have been through, I have been stuck in a few 'virtual world' myself for a bit. Do you remember Sword Art World and Rainbow Gardens?"

Usagi replies, nervously, "Oh, yeah."

Kirito says, "And that's why I'm not surprised that you noticed how different Yuuki-san is from regular VRMMO players, Sugu. Rainbow Gardens, in many ways, is more 'extreme' than SAO."

Leafa asks, curiously, "But how can she be so immersed in VR worlds?"

Usagi says, plainly, "Maybe she is a really 'hard-core' VR player?"

Kirito says, shaking his head, "I know that you don't believe that Usagi."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Yeah." Usagi says, "But Leafa has a point. With the Amusphere, it isn't as immersive as the NervGear, because of the addition of safety features, in which the less 'immersive nature' of the Amusphere is a safety feature in itself."

Kirito says, "Right."

Leafa tells Kirito, with a smile, "You have an idea, don't you?"

Kirito says, "I…have my theories, but I can't say anything right now." Usagi and Leafa glare at Kirito with smirks on their faces and Kirito asks, curiously, "What is with that look?"

Leafa says, with a smile, "Oh, nothing."

Kirito says, nervously, "Right…"

Usagi says, trying to change the subject, "Maybe we should bring in Dai and Akari and have them tell us what they think."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's a good idea. With their experiences in Rainbow Gardens as long as our experience in SAO, they could really tell the difference between Yuuki-san and 'regular' VRMMO players with ease."

Leafa says, "No duh, big brother."

Usagi says, "Yuuki-san might be getting less challengers after our fights with her."

Kirito says, "I doubt it, Usagi."

Leafa and Usagi look at Kirito and Leafa asks, curiously, "Why not?"

Kirito says, "The OSS skill, Sugu. Remember, it is an eleven hit technique. You already know how hard it is to create an OSS in ALO since we can't use the system to create OSS skills. It is really hard to create anything that's five hit or above. The highest number of hits of an OSS skill is the eight hit **Volcanic Blazer**."

Usagi asks, looking at Leafa, "What about Leafa's skill?"

Leafa tells Usagi, "That's different and you know it. It was made for Rainbow Gardens and that's where it is going to stay."

Kirito tells Leafa, "I think that she is talking that ultra-secret skill that you are trying to hide in the form of a kendo-style Duel Wielding OSS that's similar in numbers of hits to General Eugene's OSS."

Leafa yelps out in panic and she says, nervously, "Big brother, are you trying to have the whole of ALO know that? And wait! You shouldn't know that!"

Kirito says, nervously, "We were curious about why you so seemed so exhausted sometimes, Leafa, so…"

Leafa asks, nervously and annoyed, "You followed?"

Usagi says, nervously, "I told Kirito that we shouldn't, but…curiosity won out."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "We swore to keep it a secret and we know why."

Leafa tells Kirito, "No joke, Kirito. You know if they find out that I have my own OSS skill that's based on your Duel Wielding."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah, no kidding."

Leafa tells Kirito, with a glare, "You had better keep your mouths shut."

Kirito says, with a nervous nod and tone, "R-Right."

Usagi says, nervously nodding, "You got it."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Good." Leafa then says, with a smirk, "It makes me wonder how much Argo will pay for how you looked at your defeat at Yuuki-san's hands."

Kirito yells out, nervously, "Sugu!" Leafa gives a wide grin and Kirito says, nervously, "Okay! Okay! I get it! I get it!"

Leafa says, with a sly smile, "I'm glad that we have an understanding Kirito."

Usagi tells Leafa, nervously, "You are scaring me."

Kirito tells Usagi, "This is why I try my best not to make Sugu mad."

Leafa says, with a grin, "You better believe it, big brother."

 _ **Late December 2025, Tokyo, Unknown location**_

At this moment, somewhere in the 'real world', we find a young teen male with familiar spiky blond hair sneeze.

 _ **January 1, 2026, Tokyo, Kirigaya household**_

On the first day of the year of 2026, Kazuto Kirigaya and Suguha Kirigaya are together with their parents, Midori and Minetaka Kirigaya, as they celebrate New Years' together.

Minetaka says, with a smile, "It is nice to be together as a family. We haven't been together like this for a few years."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Midori tells her husband, "Sweetie, let's not think about 'that'. It has been the first bit of peace that all of us had for the past several years."

Minetaka says, with a kind smile, "Sorry, honey. You have a point." Minetaka says, looking at Kazuto and Suguha, "The two of you have been giving both of us grey hairs on our heads."

Suguha and Kazuto look nervously at their parents/adoptive parents and Suguha says, nervously, "Well, dad, it isn't like Kazuto and I meant to do that."

Midori says, with a sigh, "We know sweetie. It is just been hard on the two of us especially learning that your daughter is a super-hero."

Kazuto tells Midori, "Well, mom, you did keep that fact that you were visited by spirit of our mother in our previous lives as 'alien royalty' and knew the fact that Sugu was the reincarnation of one of the most powerful warriors in the universe."

Minetaka says, looking at Midori, "Personally, I was shocked when I learned this, Kazuto."

Midori asks, nervously, "How was I supposed to explain it?"

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Well, you do have a point, mom. How were you going to explain that you were visited by the spirit of an ancient alien queen and finding out the fact that your daughter was the reincarnation of her daughter, who was one of the most powerful beings in the universe? Answer: You don't unless you want people to think that you are crazy or something." Kazuto tells Midori, nervously, "No insult to you, mom."

Midori says, with a kind smile, "No insult taken, Kazuto."

Minetaka says, nervously, "Yeah, no insult to your mother, but she has a good point."

Midori says, "Well, I'm still worried about all this."

Minetaka says, "I'm not surprising, darling. I mean, finding out that your daughter has basically the power of kami…the power of creation itself at her fingertips…all I can say that it is mind-blowing!"

Suguha says, "Well, it isn't like that I can harness it to its fullest potential, dad. Heck, I never did that during the Silver Millennium!"

Midori says, "I know, sweetie. But I'm worried that the fact that every villain will want to come after you because of your power."

Kazuto says, "Not to scare you and dad, mom, but it isn't too surprising. The power of creation itself…anyone would want the ability to do…ANYTHING."

Suguha says, with a sigh, "Don't I know it."

Minetaka says, with a smile, "Let's not talk about all this. This day, let's try to be a regular family at New Years'."

Suguha retorts, tauntingly, "Oh, just because my big brother went through a 'death game' for two years and your daughter is one of the most powerful beings in the entire universe that we aren't a 'regular family'?" Minetaka rubs his head, nervously, in which Suguha and Kazuto giggle at this with Midori following soon after along with her husband with the four of them enjoying a peaceful time as a family for a rare time in several years.

 _ **January 1, 2026, ALO, New Aincrad, Floor 24**_

On the meanwhile, returning to ALO, we find ourselves back on New Aincrad where we find Dai, Akari, and the rest of the Digidestined, in their ALO avatars, are looking on at the scene as Yuuki fighting another duel, but unlike her duels with Leafa and Usagi, she was dominating her opponents easily.

Hana, Mimi's ALO avatar, says, "I'm surprised that people would keep coming after what happened with Usagi and Leafa."

Yamato, Matt's ALO avatar, says, "With the kind of power and rarity of her OSS skill, I'm not surprised that they are coming back for more."

Taichi, Tai's ALO avatar, says, "No kidding. It is just hard enough to get up to five hit skill. To create an OSS skill, you can't have help from the system."

Izumi, Izzy's ALO avatar, says, with a nod of understanding, "And that means that it shouldn't be possible to create your own skill."

Miyako, Yolei's ALO avatar, says, "However, we have been creating one skill after another through it doesn't mean that it has proven easy."

Izumi says, "Most likely, it has to do with your experience in VRMMO and Full-Dive VR in general."

Takeru, TK's ALO avatar, says, "So, it isn't surprising that we managed to create plenty of OSS skills since we qualify. Plenty of us have two years' worth of CONTINUOUS Full-Dive experience under our belts through I would have to say that plenty of wish that we could take it back."

Miyako says, with a nod, "No joke."

Sam, Ken's ALO avatar, says, "However, plenty of veteran ALO players have created OSS skills of their own too. General Eugene created the OSS with the most hits before she came along."

Izumi says, "Which proves that veteran ALO players have that necessary experience for this."

Miyako asks, "But what about her? She just arrived here and yet, she made an awesome eleven strike OSS! How is that possible even if she did transfer from another game?"

Akari says, "That's because I think that Kirito, Leafa, and Usagi are right about her."

Everyone else, minus Dai, looks at Akari and Dai says, with a nod, "Yeah. She isn't just playing the game…she is living in this world."

Hana asks, curiously, "Living in this world? So, she is roleplaying very well?"

Sam says, "I don't think that's what Dai means, Hana."

Miyako asks, surprised, "Wait! Are you saying that she is really LIVING in this world?"

Dai says, plainly, "No duh."

The Digidestined, minus Akari, give looks of shock and Kendo, Cody's ALO avatar, asks, curiously, "Are you sure?"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yep. No joke." The Digidestined look at the duel between Yuuki and the other ALO player end with Yuuki's victory in which the SAO survivors among our Digidestined group look at what happened intently and they start to understand what Dai is implying.

Yamato says, plainly, "That's it."

Takeru says, with a nod, "I see it."

Hana asks, curiously, "You do?"

Sam responds, with a nod, "Yeah, we do."

Taichi says, "You would have to be a survivor to see it."

Sam says, "Or have been through something like us much like Dai and Akari have been with Rainbow Gardens."

Taichi asks Dai, "Which is why they are able to tell right?"

Akari says, with a nod, "Yeah. And there is something familiar about her."

Miyako asks, "Familiar?"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yep." This gets the rest of the Digidestined's attention and they can't help to get curious from Kari's statement about Yuuki with Davis' confirmation of whatever has been just implied.

 _ **January 2, 2026, ALO, New Aincrad, Floor 1**_

In the Town of Beginnings, Kirito, Leafa, Usagi, and the Digidestined are assembled together as they are discussing a 'certain subject'.

Kirito says, looking at Dai and Akari, "I thought that Dai and Akari would notice too." Kirito says, looking at the rest of the Digidestined, "I thought that Taichi and those of you that were with Usagi and I in SAO would notice too, but I couldn't be too certain."

Yamato says, plainly, "Well, we noticed."

Miyako says, "Well, we also noticed that she has gained quite the reputation."

Takeru says, with a smile, "Well deserved in fact."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Absolute sword."

Sam says, with a nod, "Indeed. She hasn't lost a duel."

Akari says, "And the only two battles that she didn't win were ties."

Dai says, looking at Leafa and Usagi, "And our two princesses are the reason for those ties."

Leafa and Usagi give slight blushes and Leafa says, annoyed, "I wish that you would stop calling me that."

Akari sighs and she says, gently punching Dai in the side of his arm, "Dai-kun…"

Dai says, with a grin, "Okay! Okay!"

Kirito asks Dai, "So, what do you think, Dai?"

Dai's expression becomes serious and he says, "There is no way, dude."

Kirito responds, "A person using an Amusphere couldn't come close to Yuuki-san."

Dai says, with a nod, "You know it. I'm not surprised that you can tell."

Kirito asks Dai, "You said that Yuuki-san seemed familiar to you and Akari?"

Akari says, with a nod, "From what we could tell, Yuuki-san seems similar to Dai and me when we were trapped in Rainbow Gardens."

That gave plenty of curious looks from the others and Usagi asks, amazed, "Really?"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yeah, she just seems like it."

Hana asks, curiously, "What do you mean that she is like Dai and Akari?"

Kirito says, "Remember, the Full-Dive device that Dai and Akari were connected to during their time in Rainbow Gardens was based on the Medicuboid, a more powerful version of the NervGear used for medical purposes."

Miyako asks Dai and Akari, "Technically, wasn't your minds separated from your bodies while you were in Rainbow Gardens?"

Dai says, with an annoyed tone and stare, "Thanks a lot."

Kirito gains an intense thinking look and Leafa asks Kirito, "What are you thinking big brother?"

Kirito responds, "Just thinking, Sugu."

Leafa says, with a sly smile, "Uh oh."

Kirito says, annoyed, "Hey!"

Usagi tells Kirito, with a grin, "She does have a point, Kirito."

Kirito says, annoyed, "Usagi!"

Taichi says, "Sorry, bro, but you are having no argument from me."

Kirito says, annoyed, "Thanks a lot."

Yamato asks, "By the way, what happened with Asuna?"

Leafa and Usagi get a bit nervous at that and Kirito says, "She went with her mom and dad for a family event. They don't have a connection out there she told me."

Yamato says, "It must be tough being rich."

Miyako says, looking at Usagi, "Speaking of being rich…"

Usagi responds, "You know that I don't want to touch THAT money unless I have to."

Akari says, "You can't be blamed for feeling that way, Usagi."

Dai says, with a nod, "No joke, Moon girl."

Taichi says, with a nod, "No amount of money can repay the 'damage' that was done to all of us."

Hana says, nervously while changing the subject, "Anyway, we should tell Asuna about Yuuki-san."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Yeah, she would be interested in her."

Miyako asks, "Do you really think Asuna would be able to do better than you and Usagi?"

Usagi says, with a smile, "Asuna rivals Kirito, Leafa, and I quite easily, Miyako."

Takeru says, with a nod and smile, "She isn't called the 'Lightning Flash' for nothing."

Yamato says, "Actually, these days since she is known as the 'Berserk Healer'."

Miyako says, "A nickname that annoys Asuna to no end."

Usagi says, with a nervous smile, "I agree, Miyako. I remember every time that Asuna cringed upon hearing that new nickname of hers."

Takeru says, with a smile, "I hate to 'bash' her especially with Kirito here, but it was kind of her fault. As an Undine, she is supported to be more of a magic and support class since they are the best healers of ALO."

Dai says, looking at Usagi, "Speaking of whom…"

Usagi asks, nervously, "What's that look for?!"

Kirito says, with a smile, "You are an Undine, too, Usagi."

Miyako says, with a smirk, "And your spellcasting is less than average."

Usagi says, nervously, "Hey! Reciting those spells are tough and you know how I am with other languages other than Japanese and English!"

Kirito says, with a sly smile, "You have a good point, Usagi." Usagi gives Kirito an annoyed expression while the others can't help to giggle at her embarrassment.

Akari asks, "Do you think that Asuna would be interested?"

Leafa says, with a smile, "Oh, I'm sure that she will be interested."

 _ **January 6, 2026, ALO, New Aincrad, Floor 22**_

On the twenty-second floor of New Aincrad, which is a replica of twenty-second floor of the Aincrad of the infamous Sword Art Online, we are in a cabin home on that floor which was a replica of the cabin that Asuna and Kirito brought around the time that they had been 'married' in SAO and shortly before the end of SAO itself. Within the cabin home, Kirito is sleeping on the chair with Yui, in her pixie form, and Pina, while Asuna, Leafa, Lisbeth, and Silica, all of whom are wearing nighttime robes, are typing on holographic keyboards and looking at holographic screens. However, Silica has a sleepy look on her face.

Asuna gently pokes Silica and she says, "Wake up, Silica-chan."

Silica groggily wakes up and she say, woozily, "So sleepy…"

Asuna asks, "Is it too warm in here? Should I lower the heat?"

Leafa says, with a nervous smile while pointing to Kirito, "No, I'm pretty sure that the culprit is over there." Everyone looks the sleeping Kirito and the four young ladies smile.

Asuna says, nervously, "Oh, I see."

Leafa says, "He falls asleep as soon as you take your eyes off…"

Asuna says, with a nervous smile, "Yes, I know." As the other young ladies start to yawn, Asuna creates some in-game hot tea to keep them awake.

Lisbeth asks, "By the way, have you heard about Absolute Sword?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "Athletic horde? Are they starting a race or something?"

Lisbeth responds, with a sly yet nervous smile, "No. No. No. I said 'Absolute Sword'."

Asuna retorts, "Oh, Absolute Sword. Is it a legendary item they've added?"

Lisbeth says "It is a person's nickname. This is a player that's so strong that someone called them that and the name stuck. The sword of absolute invincibility and the sword of absolute power."

Asuna becomes interested and she asks, "Oh, what is this absolute sword like?"

Lisbeth says, "That's right. You were in Kyoto at the time. No wonder you don't know."

Asuna says, with a nervous smile, "I was…busy." Asuna says, trying to change the subject back to who Lisbeth is talking about, "So, this tough player is a PK-er?"

Lisbeth replies, shaking her head, "No. A duelist." Lisbeth then tells Asuna that 'Absolute Sword' AKA Yuuki, through Lisbeth doesn't her name, explains about how she appears on the tourist island on the twenty-fourth floor of New Aincrad and challenges players that come to challenger at the same day and at the same time. She then explains how she defeated 30 players on her first day in ALO in which none of them to deplete Yuuki's HP below 30 percent.

Asuna asks, "Did you try Silica-chan?"

Silica replies, "No way! I watched the duels, but I knew I couldn't win. Liz tried her best. I guess that she is the bold type."

Lisbeth says, annoyed, "Oh, shut it, Silica. It was a learning experience."

Asuna asks Leafa, "How about you, Leafa-chan?"

Leafa gives a nervous look and Lisbeth says, with a grin, "Asuna, you are asking only one of two people that Absolute Sword DIDN'T defeat. Leafa-chan is the only one to force a tie with her."

Asuna asks Leafa, amazed, "Really?"

Leafa says, nervously, "Well…"

Silica says, with a nod, "Oh, yes! And she was going 'all out' on Absolute Sword too!"

Leafa tells Silica, nervously, "Silica-chan!"

Asuna asks, her eyes widening, "All out? Wait! Does Silica-chan mean what I think she means by 'all out'?"

Leafa says, nervously, "I'm not sure I can say that I went 'all out', but I…I took Absolute Sword…seriously…"

Asuna asks, her eyes giving a curious look, "Seriously? As in…?"

Leafa replies, with a nod and nervous tone, "That's right. I 'tapped' into my 'warrior instincts' to fight Absolute Sword." Asuna can't help to give a shocked and amazed look knowing that this new ALO player fought evenly with Leafa when she fought like she did as a Sailor Scout up to a point at least.

Asuna asks, curiously, "What about Kirito-kun?"

The three other young ladies give nervous look and smiles in which Leafa says, with a smile, "Yeah, he tried. He looked good when he lost through." That struck Asuna like a bomb.

Asuna thinks in her mind, shocked, _"Kirito-kun…lost?! He lost?!"_ Asuna asks, curiously, "Was Kirito-kun giving it his all?"

Leafa, Silica, and Lisbeth look at each other and Lisbeth says, "Well, he didn't use two swords, so, you can say that he wasn't giving it his all. But then again…in a regular game, I don't think that he will be using full strength ever again. The only time that he will do that is when the game isn't a game."

Leafa says, with a smile, "That's right. Those of us that are Sailor Scouts don't have that 'restriction' is because we are in combat in the real world and ALO is go way of keeping our skills up through we play ALO to have fun."

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "So, I think that it is for the best that Kirito doesn't go 'all out' and he never needs to feel that way again."

Asuna says, with a smile, "Yeah, you're right." Asuna asks, curiously, "So, who was it that tied with Absolute Sword?"

Lisbeth says, with a grin, "Why our 'White Valkyrie' of course."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Usagi-chan?"

Leafa says, "Yeah. And I had to agree with big brother that even if he used two swords that he may not have beaten Absolute Sword…because Usagi brought out two swords against Absolute Sword when they fought."

This nearly knocked Asuna off her seat and she thinks in her mind, stunned, _"Usagi duel wielded against Absolute Sword and she only managed to tie with Absolute Sword."_ Asuna is so shocked that the only one that using two swords in VR that rivals Kirito is none other than our Moon Princess.

Leafa says, "With my fight with Absolute Sword and seeing that, I can see why big brother said this: 'Absolute Sword can't be a SAO survivor because it wouldn't have been me that won the Duel Wielding skill'."

Asuna asks, shocked, "Kirito-kun said that?"

Lisbeth says, with a nod, "Yep. And Usagi-chan said that Absolute Sword could have been a contender for the Mimic skill that the game gave her if what you-know-who told her in the final battle on the seventh-fifth floor was true." Asuna's eyes widen at those words and Lisbeth tells Leafa, "By the way, I still want to know what you, Kirito, and Usagi figured out about Absolute Sword."

Leafa says, nervously, "Well…"

Asuna asks, looking back and forth between Leafa and Lisbeth, "What do you mean?"

Lisbeth says, "During Kirito's match with Absolute Sword, Kirito talked with Absolute Sword and said something that caused Absolute Sword to look surprised before Kirito was struck down by the attack that defeated him."

Silica says, looking at Leafa, "And both Usagi and Leafa said something to Absolute Sword that surprised them too."

Asuna asks, looking at Leafa, "Really?"

Leafa says, nervously, "Well…Kirito said not to say."

Lisbeth says, annoyed, "Ah, come on!"

Leafa says, nervously, "Usagi, Kirito, and I talked about it and we decided not to discuss it with anyone else."

Lisbeth says, annoyed, "Oh, geez!"

Asuna says, "Guess that I will have to ask this Absolute Sword when I duel this player."

Silica asks, "You are going to fight Absolute Sword, Asuna?"

Asuna says, with a smile, "Yep. I'm sure that she doesn't have many player fighting Absolute Sword after their fights with Leafa, Kirito-kun, and Usagi-chan."

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "You would think so, but they are still coming back for more."

Asuna asks, surprised, "They are?"

Silica says, with a nod, "That's because of the prize that Absolute Sword is offering if they beat Absolute Sword. A super-strong eleven hit Original Sword Skill!"

Asuna asks, stunned, "An ELEVEN hit Original Sword Skill?!"

Leafa says, with a smile, "That's right." Asuna is flabbergasted by what she heard in which she knows how hard it is to create an OSS or Original Sword Skill since you need to do it without the aid of the game system to create the sword skill. With that being said, players managed to create plenty of OSS skills, however, as mentioned why before, it isn't easy and getting an OSS skill that gets to 5 hits and beyond is rare, but an 11 hit OSS combo is just plain incredible.

Asuna says, with a nod of understanding, "Now, I can see why they come back even after what happened with you, Kirito-kun, and Usagi-chan, Leafa-chan." Asuna asks, "Have you seen it?"

Lisbeth says, "Nope. It was said to have been shown on the first day and never shown ever since. Absolute Sword didn't even use it on Kirito, Usagi, and Leafa."

Asuna asks, "What does this Absolute Sword want?" Asuna says, "I get the feeling that this player is here in ALO for more than just dueling."

Lisbeth says, with a nod, "Yeah, all of us get that feeling." Lisbeth says, looking at Leafa, "Through I suspect some of us have a better idea than others."

Leafa tells Lisbeth, sternly, "I told you that I agreed with Kirito and Usagi that we won't say anything and they are my brother and sister after all. And that means: 'No means NO!'"

Lisbeth says, nervously, "Okay! Okay!"

Asuna says, "Guess I'll see if I can figure out when I duel Absolute Sword."

Silica asks Asuna, "Which avatar are you going to use?" FYI: Before we continue, sometime after she escaped the 'original' ALO and joined the current ALO with her current Undine avatar with her original SAO stats, Asuna created her own original ALO avatar, Erika, a female Sylph, the same 'player race' that Leafa is.

Asuna says, "While Erika is more combat ordinated, then this one. I'll stick with my familiar one."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Good idea, Asuna. With Absolute Sword, it isn't just stats that count. I'm not breaking my agreement with big brother and sis, but I can tell you that Absolute Sword isn't an 'ordinary' VRMMO player."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Not an 'ordinary VRMMO player'?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yep. It means that Absolute Sword would be exceptional in ANY VR world, not just here in ALO." There are looks of surprise from Asuna and even from Silica and Lisbeth.

Asuna thinks in her mind, _"Not an 'ordinary VRMMO player'? Then who and what is this 'Absolute Sword'?"_ Soon enough, Asuna asks them about Absolute Sword AKA Yuuki and while the three young ladies don't mention Yuuki's name or her gender, they do tell Asuna about her 'player race' and uses a one-handed sword.

 _ **January 6, 2026, ALO, New Aincrad, Floor 27**_

On the twenty-seventh floor of New Aincard, we are in an inn within Rombal where we see Yuuki walking into the inn and looking at a group of players which consist of a female Undine, a short Salamander male, a tall male Gnome, a green-haired male Sylph with glasses, and a female Spriggan.

Yuuki says, excitedly, "Hey, guys! I'm back!"

The Salamander male responds, "No luck, Yuuki?"

Yuuki says, shaking her head, "Nope, Jun. Sorry."

The female Spriggan says, "It isn't surprising. I doubt anyone could compare to two of 'Great Nymphs' of this place."

The female Undine says, with a plain tone, "I saw Lady Mizuno at the Undine capital and she is quite amazing. She truly deserves her position as one of the best players here."

Yuuki says, excitedly, "I knew that come here would be awesome! There are so many awesome players!"

The male Gnome says, with a smile, "I'm not surprised that you would be so excited, Yuuki."

The male Salamander says, "It was too bad that we didn't get one of the those two that you fought to join us."

Yuuki says, with a nervous smile, "Yeah, but they managed to figure me out."

The female Undine asks, "How did they do that?"

Yuuki says, with a shrug, "Got me. They seem to be close to that Spriggan guy that I fought who also figured me out."

The female Spriggan asks, with a smirk, "Yeah, that reminds me. How good looking was he?"

The female Undine says, with a sigh, "Oh, Jun…"

The Salamander male says, "If he is friends with the 'Great Nymphs of ALO, he must be strong."

Yuuki says, with a nod, "Yeah, he must be. He wasn't using true strength on me."

These players look at Yuuki and the male Gnome asks, "He held back?"

Yuuki says, curiously, "Well…I wouldn't say that. He still had plenty of strength to give out, but he was fighting me really seriously."

The male Sylph asks, "He was holding back unconsciously?"

Yuuki says, with a nod, "Yeah! Yeah! He was fighting me seriously, but I could tell that he could do more! But he wasn't holding back on me on purpose, you know? He really took me seriously!" Yuuki says, with a sigh, "But he also figured me like those other two that fought me to a draw. It is too bad. They would have been really helpful."

The male Salamander says, with a smile, "Don't worry, Yuuki! We'll find the perfect one for us!"

Yuuki says, with a wide smile, "I know, Jun! I haven't given up! I'll find the perfect person to help us! It is only a matter of time!"

Yuuki gives an excited giggle and the female Undine thinks in her mind, solemnly while smiling, _"Time…"_

 **The End…for now**

There we go, everyone! In this twentieth 'story', it is time for the Mother Ronso arc! I was going to do this sooner or later, but I didn't want to just start it with the way that Mother Ronso started in SAO. I wanted something different, so, I decided to look at what happened before Asuna learned about Absolute Sword AKA Yuuki for the first time. So, what do you think? Isn't this a nice 'prelude'? Hope to see you next time, everyone! Please read and review and no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	21. Song of Overlapping Time

This newest one-shot is a surprise since the idea came from fellow fanfiction author that I have been working with lately. When this author gave me this idea, I couldn't help visualizing it in my head and post it as the next one-shot. I'm sorry that it took so long in the month for it to come out. I hope that the wait was worth it, folks! Before I start, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization as well as the idea of Darth Revan Sammy Tsukino, the other alternate versions of said character, and the basic plot of this one-shot._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 21: Song of Overlapping Time**

Note: This story takes place after the events of **World's Song**.

 _ **October 2025, Tokyo**_

Within Tokyo, we find Suguha, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata are together in which they are walking down the streets of Tokyo.

Suguha says, "That was really fun."

Naruto says, with a grin, "I'll say. Your world is really awesome."

Sakura tells Naruto, "This is our world now since our world and Suguha's world have become one Earth."

Naruto says, with a smile, "Yeah, Sakura, but the Elemental Countries is still hidden away in a 'pocket dimension' or something."

Hinata says, with a smile, "True, Naruto-kun, but we are still living in the same world now."

Naruto asks, plainly, "Isn't it weird that we're the only ones that remember that we were once two separate worlds?"

Sakura tells Naruto, with a smile, "No one knows that we live in the same world since we are 'separated' by that 'dimensional barrier', Naruto. People outside of the Elemental Countries still think that we are anime and manga."

Suguha says, "True, but all of the ninjas, both in Japan and the Elemental Countries, believe that they are part of the same world in which their histories are now interlocked."

Naruto says, "I'm amazed that our histories can so smoothly fit together."

Hinata says, "I don't think that it was easy."

Sakura says, "I really don't think so either."

Suguha says, "I think that's why I haven't seen Trista lately."

Sakura says, with a nod, "Yeah, we haven't seen Trista-san around lately much either."

Hinata says, "I hope that she is okay."

Suguha says, "The others told me that she went to the Gates of Times to make sure that things are okay."

Hinata asks, "The Gates of Time?"

Sakura says, "I remember that. It is a powerful gateway that allows travel throughout time and space. Basically, you can go into the past or the future as well as see the whole of the timeline with it."

Suguha says, "Yeah, but time-travel using it is forbidden unless it is a dire situation like with the situation with the Negamoon that one time."

Sakura says, "I can see why. It seems to be a unilateral time-travel method."

Naruto asks, curiously, "A uni-what?"

Sakura responds, with a sigh, "Unilateral or one way, Naruto-kun. Time-travel is usually science-fiction and there are multiple theories. The 'unilateral method' usually means that if you travel back into the past and change the past, the present will be completely changed as well depending on how radical you changed the timeline. In fact, you could erase your own existence."

Naruto says, nervously, "Yipe!"

Sakura says, "However, there is also the 'grandfather paradox'. Let's say that you went back in time and caused something that caused the death of your own grandfather. That means that your dad wouldn't have been born and that means that you shouldn't have been born, but if you didn't exist, your grandfather wouldn't have died because of that event. That's the paradox. But in this 'paradox', it means that you have created an 'alternate timeline'. You came from a timeline where the event that caused your grandfather's death didn't happen and things went on like it should until the point that you were flung into the past. When you cause the event that killed your grandfather, you created an alternate timeline where your grandfather died and your father wasn't born in which you weren't born."

Naruto says, nervously, "Um, my head is spinning."

Suguha tells Naruto, with a kind smile, "Trista said that trying to figure out temporal paradoxes is just going to give you a headache."

Sakura says, nodding her head in agreement, "No kidding, Suguha. Even through I explained the 'grandfather paradox' as best as I could, I've got a headache from explaining it."

Hinata says, "Trista has been gone a while."

Sakura tells Hinata, "That isn't surprising to me. She is going over the whole of our world's and maybe our universe's timeline since our two worlds, maybe, a few more."

Suguha says, "I'm going to check up on her."

Naruto tells Suguha, "Good idea, Suguha. Being there and all alone will make one stir-crazy."

Sakura tells Naruto, "Naruto, Trista has been at the Gates of Time for over one thousand years before she came to assist the Sailor Scouts in their battles in this day and age. If she hasn't gone 'stir crazy' from that, I don't think that a few weeks are going to cause her to anymore 'mental harm'."

Suguha says, "True, but I think that she would enjoy a visit from her friends."

Hinata says, with a nod, "I think so too."

Naruto tells Suguha, "Wish that we could come with you."

Sakura tells Naruto, "We have a mission, Naruto."

Suguha tells Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata, "Stay safe."

Hinata says, with a smile, "We will." After saying their goodbyes, the three former Leaf ninja head off on their mission while Suguha prepares to find a private place to transform into Sailor Celestial, so, she can teleport to the Gates of Time to visit Trista Meiou AKA Sailor Pluto.

 _ **October 2025, Gates of Time**_

At the dimension that contains the Gates of Time, the powerful mystical gateway that allows one to view and transfer through the timeline of the universe of our heroes and heroines, we find Valkyrie Sailor Pluto, using her Valkyrie powers and the Gates of Time, to look over the whole of the timeline as Valkyrie Sailor Celestial teleports into the dimension.

Sailor Pluto 'sensing' someone has come into this 'realm', turns towards Sailor Celestial, and she asks, "Princess?"

Sailor Celestial tells Sailor Pluto, annoyed, "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

Sailor Pluto says, with a smile, "You are one of the daughters of Queen Serenity, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial says, with a sigh, "Well, I wasn't a typical princess of any sort."

Sailor Pluto says, with a smile, "That's true, Celestial." Sailor Celestial gives Sailor Pluto an annoyed glare, but she softens her expression moments afterwards.

Sailor Celestial asks Sailor Pluto, "Still looking through the timeline?"

Sailor Pluto says, "Yes. We need to make sure that there aren't 'discrepancies' that could cause an imbalance in the fabric of space-time in our universe."

Sailor Celestial says, "Our new world and universe seem to be stable."

Sailor Pluto says, "True enough. However, the multiverse had to combine our world with Naruto's world along with a few others to repair damage cause by the attempt 'world merger' by Akaba, but the merger may have caused space-time 'inconsistencies' that may undo the repairs. As a space-time guardian, it is my duty to find these discrepancies, if any, and repair. Most likely, they will be small and easily fixed if gotten to in time."

Sailor Celestial asks, "So, is our universe still 'linked' to the 'parallel main timeline'?"

Sailor Pluto says, with a nod, "It would seem so despite the changes."

Sailor Celestial says, "I just don't get on how there can be two 'main timelines' since a 'prime timeline' is usually one."

Sailor Pluto tells Sailor Celestial, "USUALLY one 'prime timeline' of which all other timelines branch off." Sailor Pluto creates a hologram of a tree and Sailor Pluto says, "Professor Paradox explain this to Ben Tennyson the best that it is said that time is like a tree in which the 'Ben Prime' is the main trunk with the branches being the alternate timelines that branch off the main timeline for various reasons." Sailor Pluto then creates a hologram of a tree that looks like multi-trunk tree and she says, "However, not all trees have just one trunk. In life, at here on Earth at least, there are trees that have more than one trunk which are usually cased when the original stem is damaged in some form and new stem masses grow to replace it. Trees in flood plains, for example, are often damaged by said floods and such things are common."

Sailor Celestial asks, curiously, "So, our timeline is like that? Because the original timeline that our and the 'other prime timeline' connected to ours came from the same timeline that Zarc and Zara ravaged?"

Sailor Pluto says, with a nod, "Correct, Celestial. Our two timelines are closely linked together because we came from the same 'base' and thus, we are very closely related in which 'elements' of our timeline are in our counterpart's timeline and vice-versa. It is most likely that these 'elements' are different due to the events that caused us to 'split off'."

Sailor Celestial says, "Namely the battle between my brother and Serena on Floor 75 of Aincrad in SAO."

Sailor Pluto says, "It is a bit more complex than that, but yes, you are correct. I can understand that you are doubtful, but in life, even the smallest of events could have incredible multiverse-level consequences, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial asks, "Even with the 'reboot' of our world due to the fusion of our world with Naruto-kun's world and others?"

Sailor Pluto says, "Remember, what happened with our world was more of a fusion than a 'reboot', Celestial. Much of the history and the 'elements' that made up the timeline of our world stayed the same as you realized with your Earth heritage."

Sailor Celestial says, annoyed, "Yeah. We thought that I didn't have a 'vampire heritage' anymore, but it was really the fact that 'vampire gene' has been 'mutated' where it has become more like a human gene, so, I no longer have a vampire gene from a distant vampire and half-vampire ancestor." Sailor Celestial says, with a sigh, "But mom and big brother do."

Sailor Pluto tells Sailor Celestial, "I doubt that they will become active unless what happened to you happens to them."

Sailor Celestial tells Sailor Pluto, nervously, "Don't say that, Pluto. You are going to give me nightmares."

Sailor Pluto says, "Sorry, Celestial-hime. I'm just trying to point out how unlikely what happened with you will happen with the rest of your family."

Sailor Celestial says, with a sigh, "I know, Pluto. I rather just not think about it."

Sailor Pluto says, nodding her head, "I understand."

Sailor Celestial says, "Anyway, it looks like there is nothing wrong."

Sailor Pluto says, with a kind smile, "So far, there is no discrepancies…" Just then Sailor Pluto gives a curious look at the Gates of Time and she says, "Wait."

Sailor Celestial asks, a bit nervously, "What's up?"

Sailor Pluto says, "It looks like I have found one."

Sailor Celestial says, nervously, "Uh oh."

Sailor Pluto says, as she uses her Garnet Rod to tap into the Gates of Time, "It doesn't seem like much, Celestial. It is…" But then the Gates of Time start to shake and Sailor Pluto says, surprised and concern starting to fill her voice, "Wait! Something's wrong."

Sailor Celestial responds, concerned, "What is it?"

Sailor Pluto says, "There seems to be…!" Just then a bright flash erupts from the Gates of Time that forces both Sailor Scouts to close their eyes and a 'force' that throws them back.

When the light fades away and the two Sailor Scouts are able to open their eyes, Sailor Celestial asks, surprised, "What the heck was that?" Sailor Pluto leaps to her feet and uses her staff to tap into the Gates of Time causing her to gasp in shock when she does so.

Sailor Pluto asks, shocked, "That…That's not possible!"

Sailor Celestial asks Sailor Pluto, "What is it?"

Sailor Pluto says, "Somebody has used the 'grandfather paradox' of time-travel to artificially create a new timeline!"

Sailor Celestial asks, surprised, "Say what?!"

Sailor Pluto says, "Remember how I explained how timelines are like trees and the 'main timeline' are the trunk of those trees with alternate timelines being the branches of the trunk of that 'tree', Celestial. Someone has just added a new branch to the tree."

Sailor Celestial asks, surprised, "Wait! Are you saying that someone just created a new timeline from our 'main timeline'? Just now?! At this moment?!"

Sailor Pluto says, with a nod, "Yes."

Sailor Celestial says, "Bring it up now!" Sailor Pluto nods her head in agreement and she waves her Garnet Rod in front of the Gates of Time in which an image forms in the 'doorway'. When the 'image' comes into focus, Sailor Celestial and Sailor Pluto can see that the image is the event where our heroes and heroines confronted Heathcliff at the Japanese mountainous/countryside camping area where the 'first generation' of the Digidestined from Odaiba, minus Kari, went to the Digital World for the first time with the Queen's Gate overhead.

Sailor Pluto says, "Here we are."

Sailor Celestial tells Sailor Pluto, "It looks like we're looking at the event when we confronted Heathcliff at the countryside camping area where Tai and the other 'older Digidestined' from Odaiba went to the Digital World for the first time…minus Kari of course."

Sailor Pluto says, her eyes widening, "Expect for a new different, Celestial." When Sailor Celestial looks back at the Gates of Time, she is surprised when she sees an that 'event' that she knows that didn't happen this timeline.

 _ **July 22, 2025 (Alternate Timeline), Japanese countryside**_

In this alternate version of our heroes' timeline, we see this Earth's versions of the Sailor Scouts, Digidestined, and SAO survivors looking on as a portal opens behind this Earth's Heathcliff, who has his assault against this Earth's Sailor Celestial stopped by this world's Sailor Moon, where they see someone that looks like Revan/Darth Revan walking out of the portal in which the portal closes behind him.

This Earth's Yolei, who we will call [Yolei] to differ her from the mainstream Yolei, asks, confused, "Now what?!"

This Earth's Davis, to be called [Davis] to differ him from the mainstream Davis, retorts, annoyed, "Oh, great! Star Wars anyone?"

This Earth's TK AKA [TK] asks, curiously, "You know Star Wars, Davis?"

[Davis] responds, "Dude, is that even a question?"

This timeline's Heathcliff, who will be called [Heathcliff] for obvious reasons, says, "Interesting."

The Darth Revan-like figure responds, plainly, "That's one way of responding to something that you haven't predicted, Kayaba."

[Heathcliff] says, "You know who I am."

The Darth Revan-like figure says, "That's pretty obvious, Kayaba."

This Earth's Sailor Celestial AKA [Sailor Celestial] asks, annoyed, "Hey! Who do you think you are?"

The Darth Revan-like figure responds, "Who do you think I am? However, my name is Revan or Darth Revan." Our heroes and heroines give looks of surprise and the figure says, "And no, this isn't a joke or a trick. I AM Revan. While, in a way, I come from a 'galaxy, far away', I also come from another universe as well."

This world's Sailor Venus, to be called [Sailor Venus] for obvious reasons, responds, "Another universe?"

The figure saying that he is Revan responds, "Correct. You already know of the multiverse and in fact, you have also heard about stuff like alternate timelines, alternate dimensions, and the like as well as alternate universes. Well, all of the 'science fiction' stuff is true. My universe is also another version of this universe since it also contained Earth, the Milky Way, and…heroes like the Sailor Scouts."

This Earth's Tai AKA [Tai] says, stunned, "Whoa!"

This Earth's Rika AKA [Rika] says, amazed, "You can say that one again, Tai."

This timeline's Sailor Pluto, who will known as [Sailor Pluto] to differ her from the mainstream Sailor Pluto, says, "That means, in your universe, you originally came from your universe's Earth and Milky Way."

Revan responds, in a nasty tone, "And what if I do, time guardian?"

This world's Sailor Jupiter AKA [Sailor Jupiter] asks, annoyed, "What's with the attitude?"

Revan says, "Let's just say that the so-called 'time guardian' of my universe did an unspeakable wrong to me."

There are looks of surprise and this world's Sailor Saturn AKA [Sailor Saturn] responds, "That's not possible. Sailor Pluto would never…"

Revan then yells out, with a powerful anger in his voice, "DON'T YOU DARE SAY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WAS A LIE, YOU TWERP OF A SHINIGAMI!" Revan then, unconsciously, unleashes the power of Force Fear on [Sailor Saturn] and she screams out in terror as horrifying images bombard her causing her to drop her Silent Glaive and hold her head as she falls to her knees in fear.

This Earth's Sailor Neptune, who will be known as [Sailor Neptune] for obvious reasons, says, worriedly, "Firefly!"

This world's Sailor Uranus AKA [Sailor Uranus] shouts out, angrily while drawing her Space Sword, "What did you do to her?" But then Revan extends out his hand and [Sailor Uranus] yelps as her Space Sword is ripped out of her hand into Revan's extended hand.

[Yolei] says, shocked, "Whoa!"

This Earth's Mimi, who will be called [Mimi] to differ her from the mainstream Mimi, says, awe-struck, "Took the words right out of my mouth, Yolei."

This world's version of Hawkmon AKA [Hawkmon] says, nodding his head, "Indeed."

Revan drops [Uranus'] Space Sword onto the ground and he says, "You should learn not to point such sharp things at everyone that you meet. They could get really 'defensive'." Revan then says, "Anyway, I'm sorry that happened. I am really sensitive to what happened to me in my past. It caused me to accidently use the Dark Side power, Force Fear, on her. Thankfully, it wasn't too intense like Force Horror or Force Insanity. She will recover."

[Sailor Uranus] says, with a snarl, "She better."

Revan says, looking at [Heathcliff], "Now, you."

[Heathcliff] says, "I am the reason that you are here."

Revan says, with a nod, "Yes, I am. You and I are going to fight."

[Heathcliff] asks, "A fight?"

Revan says, with a nod, "You heard me. One-on-one. You have important information that I want and I will get it from you. If I win this fight, you will give me that information."

[Heathcliff] asks, curiously, "And why would I agree to that?"

Revan responds, "If you win... I will wager the means to travel the vast Omniverse without breaking any laws of space-time."

There are gasps of shock and [Sailor Venus] asks, "Wait! Is that possible?"

[Sailor Pluto] shouts out, "You can't do that! Giving someone like him such a thing is…inexcusable! Even if you have the knowledge, you have no right…!" However, [Sailor Pluto] then gasps as he feels the full force of Revan's Killer Intent on her.

Revan yells out, strongly and enraged, "DON'T YOU DARE PATRONIZE ME, YOU ARROGANT HYPOCRITE! YOU TRY TO STEER THE FUTURE INTO THAT SO-CALLED 'PERFECT PARADISE' KNOWN AS CRYSTAL TOKYO KNOWING ALL TOO WELL THAT 'PERFECTION' IS JUST AN ILLUSION OR WORSE, IT IS WHEN THINGS REACH THEIR LIMIT AND THEY CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER UP IN WHICH THEY INSTEAD GO DOWN! YOU TRY TO MAKE SURE THINGS GO YOUR WAY INTO THE FUTURE IN WHICH THERE ARE PLENTY ALTERNATE VERSIONS OF YOU THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 'GREAT FREEZE' THAT FROZE EARTH FOR CENTURIES THAT CREATED YOUR SO-CALLED 'EDEN' IN WHICH A FEW OF THOSE VERSIONS CAUSED THE 'GREAT FREEZE' DIRECTLY!" [Sailor Pluto] drops her staff and falls to her knees in which the others are frozen due to them also feeling the effects of that Killer Intent through not at the level of [Sailor Pluto].

This version of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze AKA [Naruto] says, stunned, "Whoa! That's some major KI!"

This version of Hinata Hyuga AKA [Hinata] says, concerned, "T-Pluto-san!"

This version of Sakura Haruno AKA [Sakura] runs over to [Sailor Pluto] and after examining her, [Sakura] says, "She'll be okay. She is going to need more than a few moments to recover."

This Earth's version of Sailor Mars, who will be called [Sailor Mars] to differ her from her mainstream counterpart, says, with a nod, "No joke. Even through that wasn't aimed at all of us, I can feel that. I could his rage…his fury…"

[Sailor Uranus] says, a bead of sweat trickling down her brow, "Yeah. He wasn't lying about any of that. With that intense emotions going through them, there is no way anyone could hide the truth of their emotions from people like Mars and I."

Revan tells [Heathcliff], "What is your answer?"

[Heathcliff] responds, getting out his sword and shield, "I believe that this should answer things, Revan-san."

Revan responds, "It does." Revan then draws out two lightsabers in which one of them have a violet colored 'blade' and the other has a classic Sith red blade.

[Heathcliff] tells Revan, "If you believe that your plasma weapons will easily break through my sword and shield, you may be surprised."

Revan says, "Less than you think. Your sword and shield aren't ordinary weapons. It is plainly obvious that they have powerful magics that made them like Mandalorian Iron and make lightsabers cutting through them practically impossible. Practically, but it doesn't mean that it could happen."

[Heathcliff] says, "True enough, but someone like you should know that it won't be easy."

Revan says, "And how you wield your shield like a powerful battering ram will make even harder."

[Heathcliff] says, with a nod of understanding, "You have done your homework well, Revan-san."

Revan says, "No joke. One must study their opponent and know themselves to win a fight."

[Sailor Celestial] says, "Hold it! What makes you think that we are going to allow this? Especially after what you did, pal!"

Revan tells [Sailor Celestial], "You heard my reasons from getting enraged at her and you heard that I wasn't lying."

[Sailor Celestial] says, "Whatever the reason, she wasn't your Sailor Pluto for one thing and two, if you think that I'm going to let that murderous bastard get away, you have got another thing coming."

Revan responds, "This is a private matter. Don't interfere."

[Sailor Celestial] yells out, definitely, "Oh, yeah?"

This world's version of Kazuto AKA [Kazuto] says, concerned, "Sugu…" But [Sailor Celestial] draws her swords and stares down Revan.

Revan says, with a dangerous plain tone, "I warned you." [Sailor Celestial] then screams out as she is flung, hard, through a tree by Revan's Force Push where she smashes through the tree with a sickening 'crack' before she crashes down onto the ground, hard!

[Kazuto] screams out, horrified, "Sugu!"

[Sailor Jupiter] yells out, staring down Revan angrily, "Why you…?!"

Revan responds, "Shouldn't you be worried for your one of your princesses rather than me?" Soon after, [Kazuto] runs over to [Sailor Celestial], who grunts and groans out as she struggles to get back to her feet, in which the others also do the same while Revan turns to confront [Heathcliff].

[Heathcliff] says, "Your ruthlessness in real life as accurate as it is our fiction."

Revan says, with a plain tone, "You, of all people, should know that truth is stranger than fiction."

[Heathcliff] says, "Let us see then." The two of them get into defensive stances as they prepare to fight while the others make sure that [Sailor Celestial] isn't injured. After what seems like an eternity, but only just a few seconds, the two of them leap at each other and thus, began their intense duel.

[Sailor Moon] asks [Sailor Celestial], greatly concerned, "Are you okay, Celestial?"

[Sailor Celestial] responds, with a grunt, "When I get ringing the gong on the person that rang my gong, sis."

[Naruto] says, "Well, it looks like 'Mister Mask with attitude' has got to him first." Everyone looks as [Heathcliff] and Revan fight each other with Revan's two lightsabers clashing with [Heathcliff's] sword and shield in which due to magics infused into the sword and shield, Revan's lightsabers don't even put a scratch on them. The two of them are fighting an even plane as they continue an intense high-speed combat where they are moving faster than humans normally could in which their movements are so fast that they would be blurs to the regular human eye.

[Heathcliff] says, with a plain tone, "You fight quite well."

Revan responds, "Do you really think that I'm foolish to fall into the same trap as that hard-headed 'royal sister' of Sailor Moon's?"

[Sailor Celestial] yells out, annoyed, "I heard that!"

Revan says, plainly, "And I don't care." Revan and [Heathcliff] continue their intense fight and for what seems like a long while, the two of them are at a stalemate as they continue to counter each other's moves in which neither of them give the other an opening that they can use to land a blow. Revan's Force abilities give him foresight to anticipate [Heathcliff's] attacks while [Heathcliff] uses knowledge of Revan from Star Wars lore and studying his fighting style as the fight goes on, among 'other things', to counter Revan's attacks.

[Heathcliff] says, "Your combat abilities are far better than what our fiction has shown to be."

Revan retorts, "You shouldn't believe everything that you see on television, the internet, and video games, Kayaba."

[Heathcliff] says, "True enough, but you aren't doing yourself justice."

Revan asks, plainly, "And why is that?"

[Heathcliff] says, "You are fighting much like our fiction has shown you to fight and you are obvious using your Force power's 'foresight' ability to get a 'read' on my tactics and moves."

Revan says, "Trying to talk me down won't allow you to gain any advantage…" Just then Revan gasps as his 'foresight' then alerts him to what [Heathcliff] is really doing, but it is too late as [Heathcliff] acts faster than Revan can react as [Heathcliff] ducks down, spins, and slams the base of his shield onto the chin of Revan causing him to stumble backwards as his mask flies off, however, his face is hidden away as his head is turned away and his hood helps 'shade' his face.

[Heathcliff] says, with a sly smile, "Your 'foresight' does give you an edge in battle, but it only works if your reaction abilities work fast enough to work on that 'foresight'."

Revan says, with a very familiar voice, "You are right, Kayaba." Revan then turns his head causing his hood to fall down causing everyone, minus [Heathcliff] to gasp in shock.

[Sailor Moon] says, stunned, "No, it can't be…"

[Sailor Jupiter] asks, flabbergasted, "You have got to be kidding me?!"

[Davis] says, "If this is a joke, I'm not laughing and I don't get the punchline." Revan's unmasked face is none other than an adult version of Sammy Tsukino, the younger brother of the Moon Princess of ANY timeline, with a scar across his face matching the 'scar' on his mask.

[Tai] says, flabbergasted, "No way!"

[Sailor Jupiter] asks, "What kind of trick is this?!" The Sailor Mercury of this 'timeline', who will be known as [Sailor Mercury] for simplicity sake, activates her visor and computer in which she starts to scan Revan.

Revan says, with a plain tone, "I'm sure that your scan will show that this is no lie." When [Sailor Mercury] is done with her scan, she is gasped at the results of the scan.

[Sailor Venus] asks, "What is it, Mercury?"

[Sailor Mercury] responds, "His DNA perfectly matches Sammy Tsukino!" There are gasp of shock as this timeline's version of our heroes and heroines focus on [Sailor Mercury] and she says, "I've just scanned him multiple times and there is no question that his DNA matches Sammy Tsukino's DNA, but his temporal signature is different than ours."

[Hinata] asks, "Temporal signature?"

[Sakura] says, "That means that he is a different version of Sailor Moon's brother."

Revan says, with a plain tone, "Correct. I am another version of the Sammy Tsukino than the one that you know." Revan turns to [Heathcliff] and he asks, "Shall we continue?"

[Heathcliff] responds, with a curious smile, "Indeed." Soon enough, Revan, revealed to be alternate version of Sammy Tsukino, continues his intense fight with [Heathcliff] with Revan's lightsabers clashing with [Heathcliff's] sword and shield and once again, the two of them seem to be at a stalemate as they continue to use their skills and abilities to counter each other. However, that's until [Heathcliff] seemly sees an open where he takes his shield and slams into side of Revan's violet lightsaber so hard that it is thrown right out of his hand and far away from him. However, with his face now exposed, Revan gives a sly smile causing [Heathcliff] to give a confused look before Revan's red lightsaber has its hilt reconfigure through some kind of nanobots or such causing Revan's red lightsaber to turn into a double-bladed lightsaber with the second red blade igniting causing a lot of surprise to show on [Heathcliff's] face causing him a moment of hesitation. That was just what Revan needed as he is able to knock [Heathcliff's] sword out of his hand and [Heathcliff] counters with a shield thrust, but Revan spins around the attack and impales [Heathcliff] on the left side causing Heathcliff to scream out in pain as he is impaled, the pain so immense that he drops his shield and collapses to the ground as Revan removes the lightsaber's blade as quickly as he impaled [Heathcliff].

[Rika] yells out, stunned, "Whoa!" The others are also stunned by this and plenty of them are quite speechless for good reasons.

"It looks like I win." Revan says to the defeated form of [Heathcliff], still clutching his mid-section after Revan's 'unique' Lightsaber impaled him. "Don't worry I believe you will live considering who you are." Revan tells [Heathcliff] as Revan looks down at him.

[Sailor Celestial] says, seriously, "Hold it!" Revan turns to look to see [Sailor Celestial] back on her feet and stepping forward of the others to confront Revan.

Revan tells [Sailor Celestial], curiously, "Haven't we been through this before?"

[Sailor Celestial] says, "You aren't taking him anywhere. He has to face justice."

Revan says, "He is already a dead man."

[Sailor Celestial] says, plainly, "We tell them that he managed to fake his own death."

Revan retorts, "Really? After he left his original body for you to find and you to identify. His 'corpse' was examined and his DNA was confirmed to be him AKA Akihiko Kayaba. That means that he is dead."

[Sailor Celestial] says, "We'll find a way. And he 'died' by his own terms. He wasn't judged at all. His abuse of technology caused the lives of mainly four thousand people! And he just gets away with it just like that? I don't think so! He is leaving over my dead body!"

[Sailor Venus] says, with a winch, "Bad choice of words, girlfriend!"

Revan says, "Don't worry, the 'dead body' part won't happen, but I am taking him and I guess that I have to knock you unconscious." Revan then unleashes a powerful Force Push on [Sailor Celestial], but unlike this time, while the ground around shakes and quakes around, [Sailor Celestial] grunts as she resists the attack in which she only skids back about half-a-foot, much to the shock of Revan as his expression shows.

[Heathcliff] says, with a sly smile, "It seems like there is another thing that you underestimate or should I say, another PERSON, you underestimated." Revan ignores [Heathcliff] and tries an even stronger Force Push that shakes the whole area causing the rest of our heroes and heroines of this timeline to stumble and struggle to stay upright and greatly cracks the ground around [Sailor Celestial], but she, grunting greatly to resist the attack on her, skids back only slightly over a foot backwards. [Sailor Celestial] then crosses her arms and with a roar of power, she creates a shockwave of her own energy that breaks the Force Push by breaking Revan's concentration causing him to stumble back which shocks him to the core. However, he doesn't have time to gather his thoughts as [Sailor Celestial] brings out an Oathkeeper and Oblivion Keyblade, one Keyblade in each hand, and charges in for the attack. Revan only has enough time to use his double-bladed red lightsaber to block the attack, but when Revan's lightsabers clash with [Sailor Celestial's] Keyblades, [Sailor Celestial] causes Revan to be sent skidding back over a dozen yards before he stops.

Revan thinks in his mind, stunned, _"Such…such raw strength…"_ Revan thinks in his mind, getting over his shock, _"However, raw physical power won't defeat me!"_ Revan then starts to fight [Sailor Celestial] in sword-to-sword combat with his double-bladed red lightsaber against the twin Keyblades of [Sailor Celestial], but this [Sailor Scout of Reality] proves to be that she may more than Revan can handle as she matches him move for move and she then goes on the assault with rapid fast attacks with her twin Keyblades in which Revan BARELY manages to block and doesn't get a chance to counter at all! [Sailor Celestial's] speed, skill, agility, and reaction time throws Revan completely for a loop and he thinks in his mind, _"It isn't just raw power that she has. Her speed…skill…agility…and reaction time! I thought that I understood what I would up against when I observed them, but I should have known better. You need to experience something or should I say, someone before you can truly understand that person as well as their strength and abilities. But it isn't her raw physical power and abilities that are so strong! She has a powerful 'instinct' that's allowing her to keep up with my foresight. My limited understanding of her based on what I knew about the Sailor Scouts has caused me to underestimate her. Stupid mistake."_

[Sailor Celestial] says, seriously, "You should pay attention or you are going to get stomped!"

Revan says, "I may have underestimated you based on what I managed to witness without 'experiencing' it with you and based on what I know about Sailor Scouts in general, but don't think that knowledge from science fiction gives you any edge on me."

[Sailor Celestial] says, with a smirk, "Yeah, I just know about Star Wars. I'm not really into it, so, I don't do such a thing. And you are right about underestimating with what you think about know about Sailor Scouts…because you didn't see this coming!" Revan's 'foresight' allows him to see what's coming next, however, [Sailor Celestial] moves so fast that Revan's reactionary skills can't help him react in time in which [Sailor Celestial] then slams one of the heels of her armored high-heeled boots into Revan's right foot causing him to howl in pain causing his 'stance' to break. [Sailor Celestial] than rams her right fist into Revan's waist causing him to gasp as he feels around five ribs breaking and powerful left hook sends Revan flying into a tree where his impacting form causing the tree to collapse while Revan drops his double-bladed lightsaber where the blades 'de-activate' and the hilt rolls over to [Sailor Celestial]. [Sailor Celestial] then stomps down on the lightsaber, breaking it in a massive 'crunch' with the two Khyber crystals are flung out of the wreckage and into the dirt.

Revan says, holding his ribs in pain and struggling to his feet, "Well…that hurt…"

[Sailor Celestial] says, "Be glad that I only broke your ribs. About half-a-dozen I think."

Revan says, plainly, "Just about."

[Sailor Celestial] says, "Stay down. You're finished."

Revan says, as a powerful aura surrounds him, "I don't think so. There is something that I need to do and I won't let anyone get in my way. You should have studied up on me, as Revan, in your fiction, then you might realize what's happening next!"

[Davis] shouts out, concerned, "Hey, watch out!" However, it is too late as Revan unleashes a powerful Force Lightning attack on [Sailor Celestial] and she screams out in pain as the attack rips through her.

[Kazuto] screams out, worriedly, "Sugu!" But [Sailor Celestial] grunts out and strains as she resists the attack in which she starts to move forward causing Revan to flinch in surprise, however, he unleashes more power into his attack in which [Sailor Celestial] stops where she grunts and groan as she continues to get shocked from the attacks.

However, Revan's 'danger sense' goes wild and [Sailor Moon's] voice booms out, "That's enough!" Revan then stops his attack on [Sailor Celestial] causing her smoking form to falls to her knees in exhaustion while Revan rolls out of the way an attack from [Sailor Moon's] right leg. Revan then uses his Force power to bring his remaining lightsaber into his hand where he immediately ignites its violet blade.

[Sailor Moon] says, "You may be another version of the squirt, but you aren't the Sammy that I know."

Revan says, "That's obvious, Meatball Head. I'm not the Sammy that you knew. In fact, like it or not, you and I are exactly the same."

[Sailor Moon] responds, "I'm nothing like you!"

Revan replies, with a plain tone, "Deny it all that you want. I've researched you a bit and right now, I don't need my Force abilities to know that that you and I are quite alike." Revan then says to [Sailor Moon], with a plain tone, "Both of us had been betrayed by those we had trusted and loved."

[Sailor Moon] and the others are surprised by Revan's last statement and [Sailor Moon] asks, curiously, "Are you talking about Malak?"

Revan responds, "I'm not talking about Malak. I'm talking about the one from my universe that has your face!" There are gasps from this version of our heroes and heroines as they get what Revan implies and he says, "Yes, that's WHO I mean! I am talking about MY sister, my reality's version of Sailor Moon!"

[Sailor Moon] says, shocked, "What? I would never..."

Revan retorts, interrupting [Sailor Moon], "YOU did not, but, SHE did."

[Sailor Moon] asks, curiously and confused, "Then why? Why would my counterpart do something like that?"

Revan replies, "Fear. Fear of her 'perfect' future going up in smoke. After the Force awoke in me Sailor Pluto, my universe's version of Sailor Pluto, claimed that she saw the future composing of Crystal Tokyo being destroyed by my hand and I 'had to go' because of that vision." Revan says, "Both my Sailor Moon and Sailor Saturn protested about this and my universe's version of Sailor Pluto gave a brief look of the vision in which Sailor Pluto gave a bit of a speech in which my Sailor Pluto reminded my Meatball Head of what she saw happen with the Negamoon with only it being miracle that they prevented past, present, and future from being destroyed. My Sailor Pluto shouted out that she would let millions of people be murdered to save the life of one person." Revan then says, "I'm remember that day all too well: My sister saying 'I'm sorry' and she didn't even have the courage to do the deed herself. She had the Outer Sailor Scouts perform the deed while she turned her back on me in which they preferred since they didn't want their 'precious princess' to have blood on her hands. The Outer Sailors, minus Saturn, hunted me down like a beast and when it seemed like I was going to die, I was enraged that I had unleashed raw Force power for the first time. I knocked Uranus and Neptune clear out and Pluto, out of desperation, flung me into a temporal vortex hoping that I would be lost in time. However, you figured where I had landed."

[Kazuto] says, "In the Star Wars galaxy."

Revan says, with a nod, "Exactly. However, getting through that temporal vortex doesn't mean that I came through physically and mentally intact, my memories were lost and I was badly injured. But I was found by the Jedi Order and healed in which I started a new life as Revan where you know where that went."

[Sailor Venus] says, "Don't we ever."

Revan says, "However, with me, it was different. When I was under Vitiate's thrall I remembered my life before becoming Revan, so I decided to pay my home planet a visit after so many years. You can see what happened next if you count my behavior at the time."

[Sailor Pluto] says, with a look of horror, "The vision that my counterpart saw…It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Her actions helped create the future that she saw."

Revan replies, with an evil smile, "Exactly. And she realized it too late." Revan says, "You see when I was Sith I invaded my home world, specifically Crystal Tokyo, and kept myself undetected as I infiltrated the palace while my forces also snuck into position. Before they knew what was happening, my forces descended on their 'perfect society' like the ultimate plague and within no time, Crystal Tokyo of my universe was completely devasted. Not even the Doom Phantom and Negamoon could even hope to repeat what I have done. When I met my sister, again, as Neo-Queen Serenity, needless to say that she was shocked and quickly figured out that what Pluto saw was exactly as you said: A self-fulfilling prophecy. Her beloved, King Endymon, through to be noble and defend the woman that he loved, but he was nothing more than my punching bag as I used the Force to bash him all over the palace much to the shock and horror of his Meatball Head wife and his daughter, Rini. She begged and wailed, crying for me to stop, as if I would listen. She begged me to take her life and I seemed to stop…but I wouldn't give her that mercy. With one easy move, I impaled her pathetic husband right through the heart and Neo Queen Serenity screamed out in pure horror and terror as I easily stripped him of his life."

There are gasps of shock and [Sailor Saturn] says, solemnly, "How…How cruel…"

Revan retorts, "Just like it was cruel to abandon your own brother to death or kill an innocent people over a supposed future which only happened due to the 'seer's' own actions? You call what I did revenge and justly so, but I also call it ironic justice as well as a revenge." Revan then says, continuing his story, "It was then my Sailor Pluto confronted me and I made sure that she knew the price of her folly. She accepted what I had become and what has happened was indeed her doing as well as it was her duty to 'make things right'. She was a fool. She had no idea on how powerful I had become, but she learned…the hard way." There are looks of horror on the group's faces and Revan says, "I would hardly call it a fight. Long story short, my Sailor Pluto was beaten, bloody, and broken. Needless to say, everything had come 'full circle' and my Sailor Pluto pleaded that if I wanted 'satisfaction', I should take her life and begged for me to stop. I told her that it was too late and when I told her my full intention, she screamed and pleaded for me not to do such a thing. That it was her fault and that no one else should have to pay for her mistakes. I told her that it was too late for that and said that she should have look closer at what she was seeing in which her own arrogance and self-righteousness that caused all of this. After I drilled that home and broke her completely, it was only then I gave her the comfort of death as I literally took her head."

More gasps come from the others, [Sailor Venus] shouts out, angrily, "You…You…!"

Revan retorts, "Monster? Fiend? What would you call my Sailor Pluto? Murdering a young kid over something that he is supposed to have done? Wouldn't you call that 'monstrous' especially since it was her action that caused me to become what I am now and the future that she saw?" As much as the group wanted to say otherwise, they couldn't help to feel that Revan had a point with his words. Revan then says, "Through my Sailor Scouts didn't think so, but they were in no position to talk as they were dragged in with them beaten, bloodied, and just plain defeated. They were shocked to find out I had survived and returned, quickly figuring out that this was a self-fulfilled prophecy, and they were angered by the deaths of my sister's 'boy toy' and Sailor Pluto. I didn't give them the luxury of mourning as other than my Sailor Saturn, I gave them a 'taste' of Force Lightning in which my sister pleaded and screamed for me to stop. I refused by the way. And I made sure that Rini was taken away from her right before her eyes. Before you say anything, I NEVER intended to do anything to her. In fact, I liked Rini. She was among my happy memories especially the ways that she pissed off Meatball Head. However, I also wanted to remain focused because she reminded me of the hypocrisy of my Sailor Scouts. You should know it? About when Rini accidently absorbed the Silver Crystal into her body and left Crystal Tokyo open to the attack by the Negamoon? And don't give me 'that's different'. When Sailor Pluto and my traitorous sister sentience me to die, I hadn't done the invasion of Crystal Tokyo, yet, and it was Sailor Pluto's actions that caused that 'fate' to happen." The group can't help not to say anything knowing what Revan is implying with his words.

[Sailor Saturn] asks, nervously, "So, what did you do?"

Revan says, "To my Rini. I sent off to the moon simply and I had her imprisoned there. More like, kept her safe. With what I had planned for her mother, I didn't want her to get caught in the crossfire. The daughter shouldn't pay for the mother's sins. However, my Meatball Head didn't know that and I made her think that she lost her daughter. It drove her into the depths of despair…especially after I snapped the neck of my Sailor Uranus." Revan glares at [Sailor Uranus] and he says, "She made sure that I suffered and for that, there was a price to be paid, but I also did to make sure that my Sailor Saturn suffered a bit. While she didn't do anything against me, she, the second most powerful Sailor Scout, didn't help me at all. I made sure that she paid by forcing her to choose which one, between Uranus and Neptune, but she refused to choose, so, I chose for her in which Uranus took the fall."

[Davis] says, with a snarl, "I doubt that."

Revan says, "Say and believe what you want. Overcome with despair, my sister dared to try to take her life, but I stopped her. Death wasn't her punishment. For what she had done, death would have been a mercy and I had no mercy for her. Part of her punishment was a powerful Force Suggestion I inflicted on my sister was that she could not commit suicide, nor have any thoughts of suicide, in order to join her deceased beloved." Revan says, "But there was more. I made sure that using a combination of Force power and forcing her to use the Silver Crystal, I inflicted the greatest punishment of all. I gave her an immortal body."

[Sailor Venus] asks, "Immortality?"

[Sailor Pluto] says, "Never to join her beloved in the great beyond and to watch as people that she love or will come to love waste away while she remains in the mortal plane until the end of time."

Revan says, with a nod, "Exactly." There are gasps of shock and horror from the others and Revan says, "I was going to make sure that her punishment for abandoning and betraying me. Leaving me to die, she would never gain the peace of death. She wouldn't be able to kill herself and she wouldn't get anyone to do it for her. She would live on and on with what she had done for eternity!"

[Sailor Jupiter] yells out, "That's sick!"

Revan retorts, "That's well deserved."

[Sailor Moon] asks, plainly, "Are you done?" Revan looks at [Sailor Moon] and she says, "And you had the nerve to call your Sailor Pluto a hypocritic? Ever look in the mirror? I doubt it because the truth would slap you in the face."

Revan asks, his eyes narrowing and his voice taking on a dangerous tone, "Excuse me?"

[Sailor Moon] asks, retorts, "Answer me this Revan: Was it before or after you found the Star Forge that you went after your version of me?"

Revan asks, annoyed, "What kind of question is that?"

[Sailor Moon] says, plainly, "Answer me!"

Revan says, plainly, "Fine. It should be obvious that I invaded Crystal Tokyo AFTER I found the Star Forge…" Revan then stops at his tracks, realizing what [Sailor Moon] was getting at, and Revan tells [Sailor Moon], "Real clever, Meatball Head. Real clever."

[Keiko] asks, confused, "Huh?"

[Kazuto] says, with a plain tone, "In the Star Wars legends lore, while Revan was still under the influence of the Dark Side of the Force, he had broken free of the Sith Emperor's control and he and Malak were acting under their own violation."

[Rika] asks, slyly, "We didn't know that you were a Star Wars 'nut'?"

[Asuna] says, with a nervous smile, "Most likely not, Liz. Most likely, he played a lot of MMO games based on that famous science fiction."

[Kazuto] rubs his head, nervously, and [TK] says, with a smile, "Wouldn't be surprised. Star Wars: The Old Republic is a popular and famous MMORPG game after all."

[Sailor Uranus] says, glaring at Revan, "The point is that this proves that while he was still corrupted by the Dark Side, he didn't do what he did under the Sith Emperor's will. It was his own!"

Revan retorts, plainly, "And your point is?" The others are surprised by this and Revan responds, "Even if I hadn't met the Emperor before I regained my memories, do you really think I wouldn't have fallen into the Dark Side with the memories of pain, betrayal, suffering, and death that I suffered at the hands of my sister and my Sailor Scouts? They nearly murdered me in cold blood for something that I didn't do and it was only because they attempted to murder me that the future that my Sailor Pluto saw happened!"

[Sailor Moon] says, "While you have a point about what my counterpart and your Sailor Pluto, it doesn't mean that you had to go through with fulfilling what Sailor Pluto saw in the first place. When you were brought out of the control of the Sith Emperor's control, you had a choice and even through you were still under the influence of darkness, you still choose to commit those awful acts anyway!" [Sailor Moon] says, with a plain tone, "All that did was just say this: 'You were right, Sailor Pluto.' That's all that proved." Revan becomes greatly enraged as his eyes narrow at [Sailor Moon] in which both [Sailor Mars] and [Sailor Uranus] yelp while take a step back as their sensory abilities can feel his rage.

[Sailor Mars] says, a bit nervously in her expression, "Now, she did it."

Revan says, with deadly anger in his plain tone of voice, "You know, I never thought that anyone would enrage me as far as Pluto and my damned sister, but you just took the booby prize."

[Sailor Moon] retorts, smirking, "Woopy for me. As if I'm scared of an overgrown brat crying for his sister, Revan."

Revan says, "You will be, Meatball Head. You will be." Revan says, with a sly smirk, "And thankfully, you listened to my speech to allow my abilities to heal my wounds."

There are gasps of shock and [Sailor Uranus] says, "Damn it! He blindsided us! He was stalling for time to use his Light Side abilities to heal his wounds."

Revan says, with a sly smile, "Just like a classic cheesy television hero. You thought that you were hearing a 'villain' giving his origin and 'monologuing' and not seeing what's 'beyond the surface'."

[Naruto] says, "Damn it! We should have seen this!"

Revan says, with a taunting tone, "Yes, shocking." [Naruto] glares at Revan, but [Sakura] and [Hinata] hold him back to make sure that he didn't foolishly attack Revan.

[Sailor Moon] says, bringing out a Star Seeker Keyblade, "You aren't going to get him. Kayaba will face justice. And whatever you want for him, it won't be for anything good from what I can see. While your anger and rage towards your version of me and Sailor Pluto is justified in which what they attempted was indeed cold-blooded murder, you CHOSE to fulfill what that Sailor Pluto said that you were going to do and what her actions caused. So, in my book, you weren't any better than they are!"

Revan says, with a sneer, "You know, it is that self-righteousness that angers me."

[Sailor Moon] says, "You call it self-righteousness, I call just plain truth. And the plain truth is: You aren't getting Kayaba. End of story."

Revan retorts, in a taunting tone, "Oh, and how are you going to stop me, Meatball Head?" [Sailor Moon] closes her eyes and Revan gives a curious look, but when [Sailor Moon's] eyes shoot open, Revan immediately 'senses' and quickly whips into a defensive stance which proved to be a good idea as, in a blink of an eye, [Sailor Moon] was upon him with her Keyblade drawn back to strike.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' starts)

[Sailor Moon] swings her Keyblade forward and Revan manages to block to his lightsaber, barely, in which the two of them get into an intense high-speed swordfight where their movements are faster than the regular human eye can focus on in which their movements are a blur. Revan, despite his 'Force foresight', is immediately on the defensive, which is shown by him slowly, but surely moving backwards from [Sailor Moon's] assault. Raven's foresight allows him to match [Sailor Moon] move for move, but, much to his amazement, he can barely defend against [Sailor Moon]. However, when Raven looks into [Sailor Moon's] eyes, he gains realization.

Revan thinks in his mind, _"That's it, huh? I thought that I was dealing with a tougher version of Sailor Moon like she is throughout most of the multiverse, but I'm not. I should have known better since I felt that she and I are much alike and we are. I should have known better than to underestimate her knowing this fact. I guess that my impression of Sailor Moon is still linked with the 'classic Meatball Head', but this version is far from 'classic'."_ When [Sailor Moon's] Keyblade clashes with Revan's lightsaber, he says, "I have to say, like we say on Earth: 'That's egg on my face and the yoke is on me.' I had really underestimated you and it is my fault that I did. While I knew that you went through a lot, I was still under the 'classic impression' of Sailor Moon like you are known throughout the multiverse, but you aren't the 'classic Sailor Moon'. I wasn't lying when I said that you and I are alike."

[Sailor Moon] says, sternly, "You and I ARE nothing alike!"

Revan retorts, slyly, "Oh, really? Both of us were betrayed by people that we love and they made us go through life and death where we could have died by their hands in one form or another with you having the gall to say that we aren't anything alike? And you called me a hypocritic? You should take a look at the mirror yourself, Meatball Head!" [Sailor Moon] snarls at Revan and applies more power to her attack, but Revan smirks as he leaps easily in which [Sailor Moon] yelps as she stumbles forward and nearly crashing down onto the ground on her stomach, however, she manages to keep herself on her feet. Revan says, slyly, "Not bad. Many Sailor Moons would have fallen to their klutziness, but I guess that you are a cut above the rest. And speaking of cutting…" Revan then withdraws a third lightsaber hidden in his armor, puts it in his free hand, and activates it, revealing a golden blade in which he attacks [Sailor Moon] with both lightsabers at once.

[Tuxedo Mask] shouts out, worriedly, "Serena!"

[Sailor Moon] says, concerned, "No, Darien-kun! Please stay back!" As [Sailor Moon] struggles against her opponent, [Tuxedo Mask] was about to jump in to assist her, but he is stopped by the others.

[Kazuto] tells [Tuxedo Mask], "If you jump in, she is going to have to worry about you!"

[Davis] says, "Yeah! Your 'rose trick' won't work against someone like him!"

[Sailor Uranus] says, with a nod, "They're right, Darien. As much as we don't like it, we can't help her…not against him without a plan." [Tuxedo Mask] clenches his fist at that while everyone else seemly looks on helplessly as [Sailor Moon] is driven backwards by Raven's assault.

[Sailor Celestial] shouts out, "Sis, now!" [Sailor Celestial] throws her Oblivion Keyblade towards [Sailor Moon] and [Sailor Moon], just at the right moment, backflips from a slice from one of Raven's lightsabers in which she catches the Keyblade in her free hand. After she lands, she blocks Raven's lightsabers with the two Keyblades.

[Sailor Moon] says, "You are in BIG trouble now, squirt." [Sailor Moon] then counterattacks against Raven and Raven finds himself, once again, on the backend of the battle with him on the defensive. Despite his 'foresight', [Sailor Moon's] speed and reaction time make it hard for him to react to his 'visions' despite his Force powers enhancing his speed and reaction time. It also hurts him that his lightsaber styles isn't matching well with [Sailor Moon's] Duel Wielding sword style, an improvised style similar to [Kazuto's/Kirito's] style in [SAO] based on the usage of the Duel Wielding Sword Skill of that death game, which, usually, an 'sword style' like [Sailor Moon's] sword style wouldn't stand a chance against a sword style like the lightsaber fighting styles. However, [Sailor Moon] and [Kazuto], using their improvised 'sword styles' based on the Sword Skills of [SAO], the two of them adapted against their opponents which is what [Sailor Moon] is doing now against Raven. Raven's 'foresight' is the only thing that's making sure that he isn't overwhelmed, but he doesn't outwardly show it.

Raven says, "Impressive, but it won't be enough. You would need to do something radical to beat me."

[Sailor Moon] says, "Oh, I'll do something radical." Raven then gains a 'vision' on what [Sailor Moon] is planning to do next, but it is so shocking that Raven hesitates, so, he doesn't move in time as [Sailor Moon] swings her foot and slams it into his…*ahem* 'privates'. Needless to say, Raven is in much pain, but he has suffered worse…MUCH worse, so, it wasn't too bad, but it was enough for him to be stunned, through more for the act rather than the pain that came with it, as [Sailor Moon] uses **Starburst Stream** , the classic 16-hit Duel Wielding Sword Skill combo, where she tears apart Raven's cloak, revealing his battle armor 'outfit' underneath, and she slashes into the armor causing a lot of crack and chipping to get down before the final strike causing Raven to yell out as he is sent flying through the air causing his lightsaber to get flung out of his hands, which deactivate as Raven loses his grip on them, and [Sailor Moon] implants her Keyblades into the ground where she catches the lightsabers in one hand while Raven crashes to the ground with a strong 'thud'.

(Sword Art Online music 'Swordland' ends)

Plenty of the male members of this version of our heroes and heroines are winching and [Tai] asks, "Dude, did she just…?"

[TK] says, nodding his head, nervously, and with a nervous tone, "Yep."

[Sailor Jupiter] says, shocked, "Whoa! Never thought that Sailor Moon would do that!" As this timeline's version of our heroes and heroines look on, they don't see that there are 'shadows' approaching them, but [Sailor Mars] and [Sailor Uranus] don't sense them.

[Sailor Moon] tells Raven, "It's over, Raven."

Raven coughs and he then asks, with a sly smirk, "Oh, is it?" Just then there is a yelp from the others and [Sailor Moon] turns to find a group of dark cloaked and hooded figures have snuck on the rest of her friends and family where they have taken [Tuxedo Mask], [Kari], and [Asuna] hostage.

[Davis], [Tai], and [Gatomon] say in unison, shocked, "Kari!"

[Kazuto] shouts out, stunned, "Asuna!"

[Sailor Moon] says, "Let them go!"

The hooded figure responds, holding a weapon to [Tuxedo Mask's] neck and in a muffled male voice, "I think not, princess. Don't even try it."

Another of the hooded figures, the one holding [Kari], says, in another muffled male voice, "And we have devices that prevent you trying anything. So, don't even think about it." A portal then appears where more hooded cloaked figures come out where they go over to [Heathcliff], who was being guarded by the others since the start of the fight between Raven and [Sailor Celestial], and they go over him where they scan him.

One of these cloaked figure says, in a robotic tone, "He managed to heal himself somewhat. He is far from critical, but he is still crippled."

Raven says, as he gets to his feet, "Stasis field now." The newest 'intruders' surround [Heathcliff] and put him in an energy field where these new figures surround him in which this timeline's version of our heroes and heroines can only watch since three of their own are held hostage. The cloaked figures then take [Heathcliff] away into a portal.

Raven says, "I don't sense any deception."

The hooded figure holding [Asuna] says, in a muffled male voice, "The scanners are assuring us that he didn't escape. That was him that we have taken away."

Raven says, "Good." Raven then goes over towards [Sailor Moon] and he says, with a sly smile, "Now, I will take my leave." He prepares to take his lightsabers from [Sailor Moon], but she then destroys them by crushing him in her hand causing their Khyber crystals to fall to the ground along with the pieces of the destroyed sabers.

Raven gives a surprised look and [Sailor Moon] says, with a mock innocent smile, "Oops, my bad. You know us, Sailor Moons, we are really so klutzy."

Raven gives a really annoyed look at [Sailor Moon], but he then says, with a smirk, "Boy, don't I know it? A Meatball Head with a backbone, huh? Well, it's about time." Raven gathers all of the Khyber crystals from his destroyed sabers while [Sailor Moon] gives an annoyed look at him. Raven snaps his fingers in which the three cloaked figures holding [Tuxedo Mask], [Kari], and [Asuna] hostage vanish through teleportation and Raven says, "And yet, you continue to say that you and I aren't alike."

[Sailor Moon] responds, with snarl, "We are nothing alike."

Raven retorts, with a wicked smile, "Oh, like you didn't want to make Kayaba pay during your duel on Floor Seventy-Five in that death game that you fought in? Denial is just the first step, you know? Like it or not, you and I have more similarities than you want to admit."

[Sailor Moon] says, annoyed, "Just get the heck out of my sight before I show that I can be a 'sore loser'."

Raven retorts, with a shrug, "Fine. By the way, Meatball Head…I am a sore winner." Before anyone could stop him, Raven unleashes a sphere of Force Lightning right at [Davis] and [Kazuto], who are checking up on [Kari] and [Asuna].

[Yolei] screams out, "Look out!" On instinct, [Kari] and [Asuna] push [Davis] and [Kazuto] out of the way in which they scream out as they are struck by the attack.

[Davis], [Tai], and [Gatomon] scream out in unison, in horror, "KARI, NO!"

[Kazuto] screams out, horrified, "ASUNA!" [Asuna] and [Kari] scream out as the attack rips into them and threatens to tear them apart, but after a few seconds, which seems like an eternity to those that care about them, there is a bright glow from [Asuna] and everyone is forced to cover their eyes as the glow from [Asuna] blinds them. However, as quickly as the bright glow appeared, it fades away and when everyone is able to see, they are shocked to find that [Valkyrie Sailor Sun] replaces [Kari] and [Asuna] is replaced by [Valkyrie Sailor Star] (A/N: Details on Sailor Star's and Sailor Sun's Valkyrie Sailor Scout forms are in **Chapter 17** of **World's Song**.).

The others are stunned by this and [Rika] says, stunned, "No way!"

[Sailor Saturn] asks, shocked, "Asuna-san is a Sailor Scout?!"

[Sailor Pluto] says, seriously, "Not just any Sailor Scout! She is Sailor Star, the Sailor Scout of the stars of the universe and counterpart of Sailor Sun!" With those words, [Valkyrie Sailor Sun] and [Valkyrie Sailor Star] collapse to the ground.

[Kazuto] says, worriedly, "Asuna!"

[Davis], [Tai], and [Gatomon] shout out in unison, worriedly, "Kari!"

As the others gather around [Sailor Sun] and [Sailor Star], [Sailor Venus] says, noticing, "Hold on! That alternate version of Sammy is gone!" Everyone then looks around and finds that [Sailor Venus] is right in which Raven has vanished.

[Davis] says, with a sneer, "The damn coward!"

[Tai] says, seriously, "Let's forget about him for now!" Soon enough, everyone goes over to [Sailor Sun] and [Sailor Star], especially [Davis] and [Kazuto], where [Davis] takes [Sailor Sun] into his arms with [Kazuto] taking [Sailor Star] into his arms.

[Tuxedo Mask] goes over to [Sailor Moon] and he asks, "Are you going to be okay?"

[Sailor Moon] says, "I'm fine, Darien-kun."

[Tuxedo Mask] says, "I can tell that you are physically fine, Meatball Head, but are you okay?"

[Sailor Moon] gets what [Tuxedo Mask] means and she says, with a sigh, "I don't know anymore." As [Sailor Moon] walks over to the others, [Tuxedo Mask] can't help to look at her concerned.

 _ **October 2025 (Proper/Main Timeline), Gates of Time**_

As the 'image' within the Gates of Time fade away, Sailor Celestial looks at Sailor Pluto and she asks, "So, is that guy the cause of the creation of the alternate timeline?"

Sailor Pluto says, with a nod, "Yes, I believe that he is the source."

Sailor Celestial asks, seriously, "Can you find him?"

Sailor Pluto says, "That I can't be sure upon. Someone of such power could…" Sailor Pluto then says, "Wait! I'm getting something!" Sailor Celestial and Sailor Pluto look into the Gates of Time and the 'image' of Raven, now wearing an exact duplicate of armor, clothing, and cloak, discarding the one damaged in the fights with [Sailor Moon] and [Sailor Celestial] looking at two more duplicates of Sammy Tsukino, one of them in a white version of Spiderman's classic costume and another wearing an outfit similar to Tenth Doctor from the 'Doctor Who' television series.

 _ **Unknown time, Unknown location**_

At this unknown location, Raven is looking at his counterparts where they are looking at an entrapped [Heathcliff] within the stasis field.

The Sammy Tsukino wearing the Tenth Doctor's outfit says, "You know how dangerous he is."

Raven responds, "I know, doctor."

The Sammy Tsukino wearing the white version of Spiderman's outfit says, with a smirk, "It looks like that Meatball Head made a monkey out of you."

Raven says, plainly, "I won the battle."

The 'Spiderman Sammy Tsukino' says, with a smirk, "Says the person who was at the feet of said Meatball Head and had to rely on a 'dirty trick' to win."

Raven says, with a plain tone, "War isn't chivalrous. It is dirty…it is harsh…and I believe that an American Civil War general explained it best what war is."

The 'Spiderman Sammy Tsukino' asks, with a plain tone, "You want to go to war with them?"

Raven says, "I rather not."

The Sammy Tsukino in the Tenth Doctor's outfit says, with a nod, "Yeah, good idea. That Sailor Moon is far different from the vast majority of the ones throughout the multiverse."

Raven says, "Not surprising due to what she went through."

The Sammy Tsukino in the Tenth Doctor's outfit, who will referred to as (Sammy) to differentiate him from his counterparts, says, "It is more than that. She developed a more 'warrior's persona' so to speak. You fought her yourself."

Raven says, with a nod, "Point taken."

The 'Spiderman Sammy Tsukino', who will be referred by *Sammy* to tell him apart from his counterparts, asks, "And that mention that because…?"

(Sammy) responds, "If the version of Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial from the new timeline that we created from the 'main version' of the timeline to get our hands on alternate of this version of Kayaba, you can only imagine how powerful those 'main versions' will be."

Raven says, plainly, "I don't need to imagine."

*Sammy* asks, "You don't?" *Sammy* then says, with a nod, "Right. Those powers of yours."

Raven says, "You should know better than to underestimate the Force. It is helping us right now." Raven then looks in a certain direction and he says, "It helps me understand that we are being watched right now."

The other two versions of Sammy Tsukino and *Sammy* asks, confused, "By who?"

Raven responds, "Who do you think?"

(Sammy) says, realizing, "Pluto!"

Raven says, with a nod, "Exactly." Raven looks in a certain direction and he says, "It is the Sailor Pluto from the 'main version' of the timeline that we 'carved' an alternate version from." The other two versions of Sammy Tsukino gives looks of shock and Raven says, seemly to nowhere, "I know that you are watching. Don't interfere." Raven then extends his hand forwards and uses his Force powers for some kind of purpose.

 _ **October 2025 (Proper/Main Timeline), Gates of Time**_

Back at the Gates of Time, we know what purpose Raven is using his Force powers as a bright flash comes from the Gates of Time and Sailor Pluto screams out as she is being sent flying backwards where she slams onto the ground on her back pretty hard causing her to drop her Garnet Rod.

When the flash fades away, Sailor Celestial looks at Sailor Pluto and she shouts out, worriedly, "Pluto!" Sailor Celestial runs over to Sailor Pluto, who gets into a sitting position, and she asks, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Sailor Pluto says, "Physically, I'm okay, Celestial. But I am concerned. He knew…He knew that we were watching him the whole time."

Sailor Celestial asks, curiously, "He did?"

Sailor Pluto says, with a nod, "Yes, he did." Sailor Pluto grabs her Garnet Rod and she says, getting back to her feet, "It shouldn't be surprising with someone with so much ability with a power that can grant foresight, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial says, nodding her head in agreement, "You have a point, Pluto." Sailor Celestial asks, curiously, "What do you think that he wants?"

Sailor Pluto says, plainly, "I don't know. He wants something from Kayaba of our timeline…or at least a version of him. It is the reason that he performed a 'grandfather paradox' to create an alternate timeline to get his hands on him."

Sailor Celestial asks, confused, "Can you do such a thing?"

Sailor Pluto says, "As I have explained that time is like a tree and our timeline is a truck of a tree with the other versions of our timeline just being branches. He just 'stimulated growth' to create a new branch through the implications are immense."

Sailor Celestial asks, "So, what do we do?"

After several seconds, Sailor Pluto says in reply, "We should keep this to ourselves for the moment."

Sailor Celestial asks, curiously, "Really?"

Sailor Pluto says, "His actions haven't caused any temporal paradox or damage to the fabric of reality itself. That timeline will continue onto flow on, but I will have to check to make sure. Remember, it is based on our timeline and you know what has happened to us."

Sailor Celestial says, with a nervous nod, "Got that right, Pluto."

Sailor Pluto says, "And right now, we have only limited information on what this version of Serena's Earth brother wants. All that we know is that he comes from a timeline where his Serena betrayed him and my counterpart's actions…" Sailor Pluto gives a solemn expression as she stops speaking.

Sailor Celestial says, "That was her and you are you, Pluto."

Sailor Pluto tells Sailor Celestial, with a smile, "Thank you, Celestial." Sailor Pluto says, "However, I am concerned about my counterpart's 'error' with Raven."

Sailor Celestial asks, "How so?"

Sailor Pluto says, "I will need to look into that, but I doubt that I will find anything. Raven will make sure of that." Sailor Celestial was about to ask on how Sailor Pluto knows that, but she then gets the idea and just nods her head in understanding.

 _ **October 2025 (Proper/Main Timeline), Tokyo, Dicey Café**_

Inside of Dicey Café, we find our heroes and heroines with Doctor/Professor Rainbow Arshavin, child genius who is also known as Seven in ALO, and Nijika Karatachi, a SAO survivor known as Rain in SAO and ALO and Rainbow's big sister, as they are celebrating something.

Asuna says, "I'm surprised that you can come Seven…I mean Rainbow-chan."

Nijika says, with a smile, "I was surprised too."

Rainbow says, "I have an important discussion in Japanese universities today and thought to visit."

Keiko says, with a smile, "Well, it is nice to have you!" However, as the majority of the people focus on Rainbow and her big sister, Suguha and Trista are focusing on Sammy Tsukino, who is also part of the party.

Kazuto and Naruto notice this and Kazuto asks Suguha, "Sugu, is something wrong?"

Suguha snaps out of her stupor and she says, with a smile with a slight nervous tone in her voice, "Oh, big brother! No! It's nothing!"

Naruto asks, curiously, "Are you sure?"

Suguha says, with a smile, "Yeah, I'm just thinking about stuff. I've just got a lot on my mind lately."

Naruto says, "Well, no one can blame you for that. We've been through a lot and we just came back from a world-hopping journey saving all of existence going to heck."

Suguha says, with a smile, "Yeah, no kidding. But I'll be just fine."

Kazuto asks Suguha, "Are you going to be okay, Sugu?"

Suguha says, with an intense stare, "What's that supposed to mean big brother? You do remember who you are talking to here and yes, I'm over my past. I'm fine."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "Okay."

After Kazuto and Naruto head off, Suguha thinks in her mind, _"Sorry, big brother. I think that Trista is right not to say anything for now. It looks like what happened with what that alternate version of Sammy did won't have any multiverse-level problems. Heck, she said that it wouldn't have problems for our timeline or that new timeline that he created. But what does he want? It makes me wonder and I can't help to wonder if we will cross paths with him."_ Suguha thinks in her mind, looking at Sammy, _"You wouldn't think that Sammy couldn't be able to do anything like that, but then again, I'm a lesson that assumptions might lead to the 'worst-case situation'. And there is also those other 'guys'. They have to be other alternate versions of Sammy. What was Raven doing gathering those other versions of himself and why? We might never know, but then again, with what we went through, the multiverse, at least to me, seems to have become a lot smaller."_ Suguha glances at Trista and she can't help to feel that Trista is thinking similar thoughts to what Suguha is thinking and for good reason.

 _ **Unknown time, Unknown location**_

Within a 'dark room', Raven is sitting crossed legged and using his Force power, he starts to float into the air as he is sitting and mediating in which he is focusing his Force powers. In his 'mind's eye', he is seeing 'images' of another version of himself and this Sammy Tsukino has been captured by an evil organization known as UNI-SHOCKER to be turned into a cyborg warrior slave for their purposes, but this Sammy Tsukino is saved by his world's Sailor Moon, who gives up her life, by sneaking into the organization and giving him the power to fight back as a warrior known as Kamen Rider Lunar. Raven sees this image of Kamen Rider Lunar's Sailor Moon dying in his arms and then following UNI-SHOCKER into another universe where he allies with another world with events that are similar to the one in the 'main timeline' of our heroes and heroines, but where Sailor Moon defeated Kayaba/Heathcliff on Floor 75 of Aincrad/SAO and ending the game early, instead of an error that forced the Cardinal System of SAO to transport Kayaba away forcing everyone trapped in SAO, aided by the arrival of Suguha, Darien, and the rest of the Sailor Scouts into SAO to head to Floor 100. Raven sees in that 'world', the Sammy Tsukino of that 'timeline' being infused with a duplicate of the powers of the Mighty Morphin Green Ranger during the battle of the Sailor Scouts and Digidestined with aid from Kamen Rider Lunar and UNI-SHOCKER.

After seeing those visions, Raven floats down to the ground and he says, opening his eyes, "They will do." But he then gasps as he sees another vision where he sees a bloody and battered Valhallan Valkyrie Sailor Moon and Sailor Celestial battling against a black version of something that looks like the New 52 version of the DC creature known as Doomsday.

Raven's eyes grow wide and he then says, hearing a knock on the door to the room, "Enter." The door opens to reveal (Sammy) and Raven says, "I know what you are going to say."

(Sammy) asks, surprised, "You know?"

Raven says, "I already felt that future 'event' in that timeline."

(Sammy) says, with a nod of understanding, "With what I found out, I'm not surprising that you did."

Raven says, "That 'event' is causing a 'wound' in the Force felt across the vast Omniverse."

(Sammy) asks, curiously, "Then maybe…?"

Raven says, "No. That 'event' must happen. It is a risk, but while the damage to the multiverse from those 'central universes' in the multiverse has been pretty much repaired, there is still a tiny 'unbalance' that needs to be taken care of. And I think that world needs to learn that their 'heroes' aren't immortal and invincible."

(Sammy) says, "Even so, I think that it is still cruel."

Raven says, "Life isn't easy or usually nice. We, of all people, should know that all too well. And also, I've seen that she will be the greatest protection to the ensure the continued existence of all things. For that to happen, she must gain immortal and her path to said immortality begins with the shadow of the Shinigami swallowing her whole." Just then a holographic screen appears in the room and both Raven and (Sammy) look at the screen where it displays a magazine article with the words: 'Valkyrie's Fall: The Death of Sailor Celestial'.

 **The End…of this story**

So, what do you think? It is a pretty interesting twist, isn't it? I loved this idea that I had to make this one-shot story. Once again, thank you to _**Matty G91**_ _for the idea of this one-shot. Anyway, there is quite a bit of foreshadowing, so, minor spoiler alert, but I'm not telling you what that it is. It would ruin the plot, you know? Anyway, please read and review to tell me what you think, but no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!_


	22. Into the Duel World

Here is the next one-shot and I have to say that there is going to be something different this time. You know how the main storylines and plenty of the Gaiden stories have plenty of focus on three 'certain characters', two from Sword Art Online and one from Sailor Moon? Yes, blame me, but I've only started to notice that recently. I've tried to plenty of the main characters on 'equal footing', but hey, I'm not perfect. Well, this time, two different characters, this time for Digimon Adventure/Adventure 02, are the stars of this story with another SAO character, but I'm not saying who, everyone. That would spoil the story. You'll have to read to find out, folks! Now, before I start, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization as well as the idea of Darth Revan Sammy Tsukino, the other alternate versions of said character, and the basic plot of this one-shot._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 22: Into the Duel World**

Note: This story takes place after the events of **World's Song**.

 _ **November 2025, ALO, Svart Alfheim, Flosshilde**_

Today, in ALO, we find Dai and Akari going through Flosshilde, the Ring of Ice, the third main region in Svart Alfheim, where Dai lets out a sneeze.

Dai says, shivering a bit, "Man! It's cold!"

Akari tells Dai, with a smile, "Come on, Dai-kun, it isn't that bad."

Dai tells Akari, "Tell that to the icicles in my nose, Kari-chan. You're an Undine and I'm a Salamander. We, fire fairies, DON'T do cold. Undines, like you, handle water and ice environments quite well, but we, Salamanders, don't do cold."

Akari tells Dai, with a pout, "You are starting to sound like Klein, Dai-kun."

Dai retorts, "He may have had a point with Salamander fairies and ice cold places, Kari-chan."

Akari says, with a smile, "Okay, I get it, Dai-kun." Akari then chants out a cold protection spell and Akari asks, with a smile, "Better."

Dai says, with a smile, "Better."

Akari says, "Now, come on, Dai-kun. Let's get to that quest."

Dai says, "Right." But then the two of them start to hear a lovely female voice singing in which Dai says, curiously, "Hold on!"

Akari asks Dai, "You hear that too?"

Dai says, "Well, I know that it isn't just me." Dai and Akari then take flight and race off to find the source, but they didn't have long to fly in which they find someone sitting on a cliffside.

The person sitting on the snowy cliffside looks like a young lady of 17-18 years of age with long flowing silver hair that reaches to her rear end behind her back in which she also has circular buns that are held by rosy red rings with a red ribbon in each other flowing down, pink-red eyes, black and pink-red choker around her neck with a red ribbon attached to it, black and violet dress, black fingerless gloves with red sleeves around her wrists, and black thigh-high boots on her feet.

Akari asks, curiously, "A person?"

Dai asks, curiously, "Is it an NPC?"

Akari says, looking at the lovely young lady, "I don't think so! Her cursor is green!" Dai looks at the person and Dai can see that her cursor is green, indicating that she is a player character in VRMMO world.

Dai says, "Hold up! She's a player?! She doesn't look like a fairy at all! She doesn't have elf-like ears!"

Akari says, "I know, Dai-kun. An error? Maybe."

Dai says, "If it is, she could contact the administrator." Akari and Dai fly over to the young lady and she stops singing in which she turns towards them.

The young lady says, "Hello."

Akari says, "Hi, there. I'm Akari and this is Dai." Akari motions to Dai and he waves.

The young lady says, "I'm Yuna."

Akari tells the young lady, Yuna, "That's a nice song."

Yuna replies, with a smile, "Thank you. I'm glad that you liked it. I'm actually here to practice."

Dai asks, curiously, "Um, are you a player?"

Yuna responds, "Well…sort of. I'm not an NPC, but I'm not exactly a player either…a 'regular player'."

Akari and Dai give off confused looks and Akari asks, curiously, "What do you mean?" Before Yuna can answer, a massive storm hits them and all of them yelp as powerful winds hit them.

Dai yells out, "What the heck?!" Soon enough, Yuna yells out as she is swept up by the powerful winds.

Akari shouts out, "Watch out!" On pure instinct alone, Akari flies after Yuna and Dai flies after his girlfriend, but all three of them are overcome by the winds and they scream out as they find themselves within a massive tornado.

 _ **November 2025, Unknown world**_

On the paved road or walkway, we see the face of Akari, looking more like her IRL self, Hikari 'Kari' Kamiya, with her brown hair, opens her eyes, revealing her brown eyes like her IRL self, causing Akari to moan as she gets to a sitting position.

Akari asks, "What happened?" Akari then remembers what happened and she says, concerned, "The storm! Dai-kun! Yuna-san!" Just then she gasps as she looks over herself and she asks, "What happened to me?" Akari finds that she is wearing an outfit that Blue Angel/Aoi Zaizen, also known as Syke Zaizen in English Dub, of the Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS, but the parts of the outfit that are blue in Aoi's outfit is pink in Akari's version.

Just then Dai's voice booms out, "Kari-chan!" Akari looks to the source of Dai's voice and she is shocked to find Dai looking A LOT different!

Dai's hair and hairstyle looks like his 'IRL self', Daisuke 'Davis' Motomiya, his eyes are also the same color as his 'IRL self', and he is wearing an outfit similar to Yusaku Fujiki's/Playmaker's outfit in Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS.

Akari asks, stunned, "Dai-kun, is that you? What are you wearing?"

Dai tells Akari, curiously, "Um, Kari-chan, have you looked at yourself?" Dai says, with a smile, "Through I have to admit that it looks good on you, Kari-chan." Kari gives an annoyed smile and she slaps him in the arm while she blushes as she looks over Dai since his current 'attire' is tight fitting showing a good amount of his well-developed male muscular form through not to an obscene level.

Akari asks Dai, "Dai-kun, what happened to us?"

Dai says, "We got hit by a weird storm. And it was weird that there has been no storm like that in ALO, not even in any area of Svart Alfheim."

Akari says, with a nod, "Yeah." Akari then remembers Yuna and she shouts out, "Dai-kun, what about Yuna-san?"

Dai says, pointing to all around himself and Akari, "I haven't seen her anyway…wherever here is." Akari then looks around and she is still to see that they are in a vast city that looks like a mixture of Feudal Japan and European Medieval elements that are mixed with elements that you see in fantasy games/anime/television shows, including elves, ogres, dwarfs, and the like, but what was most incredible is that a lot of the 'creatures' seem to be Duel Monsters.

Akari asks, stunned, "Dai-kun, where in the world…where in the universe or multiverse are we?"

Dai says, with a shrug, "You got me, Kari-chan. However, I think that we are in another virtual world."

Akari asks, curiously, "What makes you say that?" Dai points up and Akari looks up to see what looks like clouds of 'pixels' with 'creatures' appearing through teleportation effects similar to the ones used in SAO causing Akari to say, a bit nervously, "Okay…"

Dai says, changing the subject, "Anyway, I don't see Yuna-san anywhere."

Akari says, "Let's go find her. We should also ask around and find out this world."

Dai says, with a nod, "Good idea." Soon enough, Dai and Akari starts to explore this new virtual realm and they quickly learn about it.

As they continued to walk, Akari says, "It seems like this world is based a lot like Duel Monsters and the 'spirit worlds' that they come from."

Dai says, looking at what looks like his duel disk as Davis attached to his left wrist, "And a lot of stuff including combat is settled by dueling."

Akari says, looking at what looks like her duel disk as Kari attached to her wrist, "Yeah, but unlike 'regular duels' back home, losing a duel can be…deadly."

Dai says, nervously, "I'll say." Just then they hear a familiar female voice scream out and Dai shouts out, "Kari, that's Yuna-san!"

Akari says, pointing in one direction, "Over there!" Dai looks in the direction that Akari is pointing and he sees Yuna falling down to the ground after tripping in which she is nearly surrounded by a group of creatures that looks like huge goblins or trolls.

Dai shouts out, "Let's go!" Before Akari can say anything, Dai leaps into action in which he gets in-between Yuna and the goblin-like/troll like creatures and he yells out, "Hold it, you rejects from a fantasy anime!"

Yuna says, surprised, "Dai-san!"

Dai asks Yuna, "Are you okay, Yuna-san?" Yuna nods her head as Akari goes over to Yuna and kneels in front of her.

Akari says, "Yuna-san, let me help you."

Yuna says, surprised, "Akari-san…" Akari helps Yuna to her feet while the Dai confronts the goblins/trolls in which one of the 'roughest' looking ones, the obvious leader, comes up, displaying a duel disk similar to the style of the Supreme King Haou's duel disk, but the duel disk is mainly grey with golden 'highlights' instead of black with golden 'highlights'.

The leader of the goblins/trolls roars out, in a deep monstrous tone, **"A puny human dares to stand in the way of Gragoff of the Skull Beaker clan? You must be stupid or brave, puny human!"**

Dai gives a disgusted look and he says, "Have you heard of breath mints, pal? You really do have goblin breath!"

The group of goblins/trolls give out roars of indignation and the leader of the group, Gragoff, roars out, **"How dare you compare us to our puny 'cousins'?! We are mighty Hobgoblins and nothing like those puny little scavengers who we are ashamed to share blood with!"**

Dai says, "Whatever, dude. Let me get to the point: Stay away from Yuna-san or I'm going to knock your ugly butt all this world!"

The group of now identified hobgoblins laughs at Dai and Gragoff shouts out, in a taunting tone, **"That's rich, human! You think that I fear you?! I could crush you like the ant that you are!"**

Dai says, displaying his duel disk, "Why don't you put your money where your ugly month is, you dumb oaf? You and me!"

Akari says, concerned, "Dai-kun…"

Gragoff says, displaying his duel disk with a confident smirk, **"It won't be too much trouble to deal with a puny human like you! Once I am done, the females shall be ours and I can't wait to see how they taste especially with the looks of fear and despair!"**

Dai gives an enraged look and Dai says, with an angered tone, "You are going to pay for those words, you scum." A dark golden glow comes from Dai's eyes and he says, with a deadly serious tone, "I was planning to go easy on you, but now, you just made me mad." The hobgoblins see the dark golden glow and they flinch, but they regain their focus as Gragoff's and Dai's duel disks activate, dueling decks appear in their duel disks and get shuffled, the 'energy blades' containing their disk's Monster and Pendulum Zones appear, and their disk's touch screens display 4000 life-points as five cards come out of their decks which float in front of them.

"Duel!" Dai and Gragoff say in unison as their duel begins.

Starting Scores:

Dai: 4000

Gragoff: 4000

Gragoff says, **"I'll start this duel off! My turn!** " Gragoff says, tagging one of the cards floating in front of him, **"I summon Goblin Elite Attack Force in attack mode!"** The card vanishes in pixels, reappears on his disk, and then Goblin Elite Attack Force (2200/1500) appears on the field in attack mode.

Akari thinks in her mind, _"He didn't draw a card? I guess that the rules are similar to those in Action Duels."_

Gragoff says, touching three more cards, **"Then I activate three of my Goblin Thief spell cards! You suffer five hundred points of damage for each other and I gain five hundred points each time, punk human!"** The three cards vanish into pixels and Dai grunts out as he is attacked by three versions of the fat goblin on the picture of the spell card, costing him 1500 life-points in total, while Gragoff gains 1500 life-points. Gragoff says, touching the final card in his 'hand', **"Finally, I end my turn with one card face-down! Now, take your turn, human! You are going to need every card that you can get!"**

Current Scores:

Dai: 2500

Gragoff: 5500

Dai says, as a card comes out of his deck, "We'll see if you are laughing when I wipe that smirk and your life-points out of the park! My turn! I draw!"

Gragoff says, pushing a button on his disk's touch screen, **"And I activate my trap: Minor Goblin Official!"** Gragoff's face-down card is revealed to be the Minor Goblin Official continuous trap card and Gragoff says, with an evil smile, **"Since you have less than three thousand life-points, I can play this trap card and you must surrender five hundred life-points during every Standby Phase!"** Dai gives a snarl as he grunts as his life-points drop by 500 more points and Gragoff says, with an evil grin, **"Where is your big talk now, puny human?! I have already cut your life-points in half and I haven't broken a sweat!"**

Dai says, "You are going to break more than a sweat, you fantasy game reject!" Dai says, touching a card in front of him, "Since you have monsters and I don't, I play Vice Dragon in attack mode!" Soon after, the card vanishes, reappears on his duel disk, and Vice Dragon (2000/2400-1000/1200) appears on the field in attack mode and Dai says, "Since I used this ability to summon him, his power is cut in half!" Dai says, pushing another card in front of him, "Then I play my Influence Dragon in attack mode!" Influence Dragon (300/900) then appears on the field in attack mode and Dai yells out, "And now, I tune Influence Dragon with Vice Dragon!" Influence Dragon becomes three stars that turn into three rings that surround Vice Dragon, turning it transparent, and as a column of light appears on the field, the two monsters' cards 'vanish' from Dai's disk causing Dai to say, _"Clustering wishes become a new shining star, become the path that its light shines upon! Synchro Summon!_ " Dai yells out, as a Synchro Monster appears on his disk, "Let's rev it up, Stardust Dragon!" Out of the light, Stardust Dragon (2500/2000) appears on the field in attack mode.

The goblins are shocked and one of them says, nervously, **"Uh oh."** Soon after, the Dragon Head's Mark of the Dragon appears on Dai's right arm and the Dragon's Claw Mark of the Dragon appears on Akari's right arm causing Yuna to become curious when she sees it.

Dai says, touching another card in front of him causing it to 'vanish', "Next, I remove Vice Dragon from my graveyard to play White Dragon Wyverburster!" As Vice Dragon's monster card comes out of the graveyard slot of Dai's disk and another card appears on Dai's disk, White Dragon Wyverburster (1700/1800) appears on the field in attack mode. Dai says, touching another card, "Next, by discarding one monster in my hand to the graveyard, I can play Defrag Dragon in attack mode!" Another card in Dai's 'hand' vanishes, the card Dai touched appears on his disk, and Defrag Dragon (1000/600) appears on the field in attack mode. Dai then taps the last card in his 'hand' and he says, "Then I play Re-Tuning Up spell card! Now, I can summon one Tuner monster from my graveyard, but the Tuner monster must have a lower level that the monster currently on my fiend. So, I revive the one that I sent to the grave: Dragunity Javelin, come on down!" Dragunity Javelin (1200/800) appears on the field in attack mode and Dai says, "And now, I tune Dragunity Javelin with Defrag Dragon and White Dragon Wyverburster!" Dragunity Javelin turns into two stars that turn into two rings that surround Defrag Dragon and Wyverburster causing them to become transparent and when a column of light appears on the field, a new Synchro Monster card appears on Dai's deck in which he says, " _Great hydra of the snow and ice, awaken from your slumber and unleash the ultimate winter! Synchro Summon!_ " Dai then says, "It's triple trouble for you with Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!" Out of the light, Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier (2700/2000), a triple headed dark blue and ice blue dragon, appears on the field in attack mode. Dai says, with a grin, "And thanks to the big guy's ability! When he comes to the field, I can banish one card from your hand, field, and graveyard!"

Gragoff asks, shocked, **"What?!"**

Dai says, with a grin, "I think that you know what's coming next! Since your hand is empty, there is nothing to remove, but your field and graveyard aren't so lucky! I remove your armored goblins from the field and one of your Goblin Thief spells also hits the road!" Trishula glows an icy-blue in which Goblin Attack Force roars out in fear as they are frozen solid before they shatter while a card comes out of the graveyard slot of Gragoff's disk in which it freezes and shatters. Dai then yells out, "And now, I attack you directly with both dragons!" Both Stardust Dragon and Trishula unleash their attacks on Gragoff in which he roars as he is plastered by Stardust Dragon's Cosmic Flare while blasted by icicles from Trishula as they take a combined 5200 life-points from Gragoff.

One of the other goblin says, in shock, **"Great Gragoff!"**

Gragoff, who has icicles on him and a bit smoking, says, with a snarl, **"You are going to pay for that one, wretched human!"**

Dai says, with a grin, "Give it your best shot! I end my turn!"

Current Scores:

Dai: 2000

Gragoff: 300

Gragoff says, a card coming out of his deck, **"It's my turn! I draw!"** Gragoff touches the card in front of him and he says, as the card 'vanishes', **"I play Pot of Greed! With it, I draw two cards!"** Two more cards come out of Gragoff's deck and the large hobgoblin gives a sly smirk at them.

Akari thinks in her mind, a bit nervously, _"Oh, boy. I don't like the one on his face."_

Gragoff says, touching one of the cards in his 'hand', **"First, I place this monster face-down."** A face-down monster appears in front of Gragoff while the card appears on his disk and he then says, touching the other card causing it to 'vanish', **"Then I activate my Dark Door! From now on, only one monster can attack during each battle phase. Now, try to defeat me now! My turn is over!"**

Dai says, as a card comes out of his deck, "You asked for it! I draw!"

Gragoff says, **"Remember my trap card! You were a fool not to get rid of it before! Now, you suffer five hundred more points of damage!"** Dai grunts out as he loses 500 more life-points.

Dai says, with a grin, "Actually, I wasn't since this duel is over."

Gragoff yells out, annoyed, **"You lie! You're bluffing!"**

Dai says, touching the card in front of him, "Let's see when I play this! I activate my Shield Crush spell card! Now, one defense monster on the field hits the road!" Gragoff gasps in shock as his face-down monster 'explodes' as it is destroyed and Dai shouts out, "Now, Stardust Dragon, send this troll reject right into the crud! Direct attack with Cosmic Flare!" Stardust Dragon unleashes his attack on Gragoff and he screams out as it slams into him and vaporizing him into data pixels as he loses 2500 life-points as well as the duel.

Final Scores:

Dai: 1500

Gragoff: 0

With the end of the duel, the two dragons vanishes and all that's left of Gragoff with a burn mark on the floor where Stardust Dragon's attack slammed into him in which the remaining hobgoblins run off in fear, leaving a pretty surprised Dai in their wake as his and Akari's Marks of the Dragon fade away.

Dai says, amazed, "Whoa."

Akari says, excitedly, "Dai-kun, you did it!"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yeah, I did, but this place is no joke."

Akari says, nodding as she looks at the burn mark, "No kidding, Dai-kun. The duels here are for keeps." Akari then turns her attention to Yuna and she asks, "Yuna-san, are you okay?"

Yuna responds, with a smile, "I'm okay." Yuna says, with a smile, "I like yours and Dai's new outfits, Akari. They are really good on both of you."

Dai and Akari blush nervously and Akari says, nervously, "T-Thanks, Yuna-san."

Dai clears his throat and he says, "We should find in what kind of world we are in and how we can get back."

Akari says, with a nod, "I agree, Dai-kun." Yuna nods her head in agreement with Dai and Akari in which the three of them head off, not knowing that they are being watched.

( **A good time afterwards** )

Within what looks like the center of an 'old-fashion' town, Yuna, Dai, and Akari are sitting down in which they are looking various 'people' go by.

Dai says, with a sigh, "Well, that didn't help much."

Akari says, "All that know is that this is simply known as 'Duel World' and a lot of stuff here is settled by dueling."

Dai says, with a nod, "Yeah, but the 'official duels' have 'safeties' and there is nothing at risk other than pride and what you bet in the duel."

Akari says, plainly, "But in 'unofficial duels' like the one with that overgrown ogre…"

Dai says, nodding her head, "No joke."

Yuna asks, "So, what should we do?"

Dai says, "Find a way back, Yuna-san."

Akari asks, "But how?"

Dai says, with a plain tone, "That's a good question, Kari-chan." The three of them sigh as they try to figure out how to get home.

Just then a male voice says, "You seem lost." The three of them then look to see a handsome male elf with leaf green hair, short pointed ears, blue eyes, and wearing leaf green and white clothing under light silver armor.

Yuna asks, "Who are you?"

The male elf says, "The name is Trient. I've noticed that you seem a bit down. You must have a problem that you can't solve."

Dai asks the male elf, Trient, "You've got a solution?"

Trient responds, with a nod, "Yeah. Actually, it is common knowledge around her. If you have a problem, you meet up with Lady Yukara. I would say that I'm surprised that you haven't heard of her, but you must really way out of town."

Akari says, "You can truly say that."

Dai nods his head in agreement and Dai asks, "Since you know that, got a bit of directions for us?"

Trient says, with a grin, "No problem, mate! I've got what you need right here!" He points to his head and he immediately starts to give directions to Dai, Akari, and Yuna.

( **Sometime later** )

Sometime afterwards, Dai, Akari, and Yuna are looking at a large Japanese style complex with a large neon sign that says: 'Lady Yukara's Everything Shop'.

Dai says, nervously, "Well, it is straight to the point."

Akari says, with a nervous nod, "I'll say." The three of them enter the complex and when they are in the courtyard, they are shocked to be in a gorgeous Zen garden where they find a gorgeous young or young-looking woman with long flowing violet hair, a pair of white cat-like ears coming out of her scalp, long and alluring eyelashes, deep and gorgeous rosy pink-red lips, and wearing a gorgeous violet cocktail that hugs her gorgeous female frame excellently in which she has on a pair of knee-high violet high-heeled boots. She also has a white cat-like tail coming out of her tailbone area.

The gorgeous 'cat woman' says, in a sultry voice, "Hello there."

Akari says, a bit nervously, "H-Hi."

Dai says, trying to keep his blush down, "Are you Yukara?"

The gorgeous 'cat woman' responds, "The one and only, Dai-san. I've been waiting for you and Akari-san for a while."

Dai and Akari gasp in shock and Akari asks, "How do you know our names?"

The gorgeous 'cat woman', Yukara, replies, "You can say that I'm a 'seeress' of sorts, my dear."

Dai asks, curiously, "Seeress?"

Yukara replies, with a nod, "Correct. I can see lies, the past, present, and future, and then some. Right now, you need to find a way back to the 'digital realm' that you came from."

Dai says, his eyes narrowing, "Well, you seem to be well-informed."

Yukara tells Dai, "At ease, your majesty. I am not your enemy, but I'm not on your side."

Yuna asks, curiously while looking at Dai, "Your majesty?"

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "Oh, your new friends have many secrets, but then again, Yuna-san, you have quite a few secrets yourself." Yuna gives a look of surprise and Yukara says, with a sly smile, "However, secrets aren't what you are here for…other than the secret of going home. I can tell you now that I do have the key to bring you home, but it will cost you."

Dai asks, seriously, "How much?"

Yukara responds, with a sly smile, "More than you can afford, Dai-san."

Dai says, "I saw that coming."

Yukara says, displaying what looks like a pink-violet Real Solid Vision duel disk, "However, there is another way."

Dai says, with a nod, "I get you."

Akari says, displaying her duel disk, "Dai-kun, let me take care of this one."

Dai asks, surprised, "Huh?"

Akari says, "You, my big brother, and TK…Takeru…have always been helping and saving me. I always had people to help and save me, but now, it is my turn." Akari activates her duel disk as a dueling deck appears in her disk.

Dai says, plainly, "Kari-chan…"

Akari tells Dai, shaking her head, "No, Dai-kun. I want to do this…I need to do this." Akari glances at Yuna for a moment and she tells Dai, "I will do this, Dai-kun." Dai can see the determined look in Akari's eyes and he sighs in which he nods his head in which Akari kisses him on the lips.

Yukara says, with a warm sultry tone, "The Star Dragon King and his princess. No taunt or joke here. I have to say that this truly warms my heart."

Yuna asks, curiously, "Star Dragon King?"

Dai says, a bit nervously, "Long story." Yukara activates her duel disk causing a dueling deck to appear in her disk in which both Akari's and Yukara's duel disks gain the 'energy blades' that contain the Monster and Pendulum Zones.

Yukara tells Akari, "Now, for the stakes in the duel. This duel is going to be official, so, there must be stakes in it. An 'ante'."

Akari asks, curiously, "Okay, what are they?"

Yukara says, "If you win, not only will give you the key to returning home, I will also present to you a little gift."

Akari asks, curiously, "Gift?"

Yukara says, "That's if you win, my dear."

Akari asks, curiously, "And if we lose?"

Yukara responds, "You and your king must stay with me until you earn your way home. And believe me, it won't be cheap, my dear."

Akari says, "Sorry, but we won't need to worry about that since I'll be winning."

Yukara asks, "So, you accept the terms?"

Akari says, with a nod, "Yes, I do."

Yukara says, snapping her fingers, "Then the agreement is made and the contract is forged. The duel can begin." Just then a series of four golden 'halos' appear around Akari and Yukara causing Akari, Dai, and Yuna to look confused and Yukara says, "These are the 'safety system' used in the 'official duels'. They project a field that protects the duelists through it doesn't mean that suffering damage to your life-points won't…sting. However, it will prevent what happened in the last duel that your beloved had fought."

Akari says, nodding her head, "I see. So, this is how 'official duels' work here." Yukara nods her head in agreement and the duel disks' touch screen display 4000 life-points as their disks shuffle their decks and after that five cards come out of their respective decks where they float in front of them.

"Let's duel!" Akari and Yukara say in unison as their duel begins.

Starting Scores:

Akari: 4000

Yukara: 4000

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "Since we are both girls here, I think that I'll let you take the first turn."

Akari says, plainly, "Thank you." Akari thinks in her mind, _"Most likely, she is trying to figure out my strategy."_

Yukara then says, "My dear, I'm not reading your mind, mind you, but since I know who you are, I do have a good idea on your dueling strategy and your deck."

Akari is taken aback for a second and she thinks in her mind, _"She has a point. If she knows who I am, then she might have a good idea that I'm a Signer, my dragon, and my deck, but it doesn't mean that I can't surprise her."_ Akari says, touching two cards in front of her, "I take scale two, Mandragon, and scale eight, Predaplant Spider Orchid, and set the Pendulum Scale!" Two cards appear on the Pendulum Zones of Akari's duel disk causing the word 'Pendulum' to appear on her disk's Monster Card Zones in rainbow color, then two columns of light appear on the field, and two monsters, Mandragon (2500/1000) and Predaplant Spider Orchid (0/0), a sinister combination of a plant and spider, appears in the columns, one monster per column, with the number 2 below Mandragon and the number 8 below Spider Orchid. Akari shouts out, "Light that blooms new life! Shine down and bring forth a new power! Pendulum Summon!" Akari touches two cards in front of them causing them to 'vanish' and she says, as the cards appear on her disk, "Rise up, Gigaplant! And descend now, Fallen Angel of Roses!" A circle of light appears on the field, two 'lights' come from the circle, and those 'lights' are revealed to be Gigaplant (2400/1200) and Fallen Angel of Roses (2400/1300) in attack mode.

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "Two powerful monsters in one turn, huh? Very nice."

Akari says, touching the last card in her 'hand', "And now, I activate my Card of Sanctity! Both of us must draw from our decks until we have six cards in our hands!" As the card 'vanishes', half-a-dozen cards come out of Akari's deck while only one card comes out of Yukara's deck since she already has five cards in her 'hand'. Akari says, touching one card in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "Since I just added this card by an effect, I can summon Rose Fairy to the field!" Just then Rose Fairy (600/1200) appears on the field in defense mode and Akari says, "Next, I give up my ability to Normal Summon to awaken Gigaplant's Gemini power! Now, Gigaplant can summon any Insect or Plant monster from my hand or graveyard!" Akari touches a card in her hand and she says, as the card 'vanishes', "I choose Nettles!" Just then Nettles (1200/400) appears on the field in attack mode and Akari says, "And now, I tune Nettles with Rose Fairy!" Nettles turns into two stars that turn into two rings that surround Rose Fairy, causing Rose Fairy to become transparent, and as a column of light appears on the field, a Synchro Monster card appears on Akari's disk in which she says, " _Guardian of the garden, sprout forth and bring forth the beauty of nature! Synchro Summon!_ " She then yells out, "Come out, Garden Rose Maiden!" Out of the light, Garden Rose Maiden (1600/2400), a silvery-blond beautiful woman in a white dress with black rose in her hair, appears on the field in defense mode. A card comes out of Akari's deck and she says, "And now, Garden Rose Maiden's ability activates! I can put one Black Garden field spell from my deck to my hand!" As a card appears in Akari's 'hand', she touches said card and she says, "And now, I activate my Black Garden!" The card 'vanishes' and the whole field becomes enveloped in thorny wives filled with dark violet rose buds.

Yuna says, amazed, "Pretty."

Dai says, with a grin, "But deadly, Yuna-san."

Akari says, touching another card in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "Next, I activate my World Tree continuous spell card! As long as it remains on the field, it gains one Flower Counter for every Plant type monster destroyed." Akari says, touching two more cards in her hand causing them to 'vanish', "Then I place two more cards face-down and end my turn!"

Yukara says, as a card comes out of her deck and appearing in her 'hand', "Now, it is my turn!"

Akari thinks in her mind, _"I have a feeling that her deck has to do with cats."_

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "It doesn't take a mind reader to know what you are thinking and in this case, you are right, but maybe not in the way that you are thinking." Yukara says, touching two cards in her 'hand' causing them to 'vanish', "I take scale one, Lunalight Wolf, and scale five, Lunalight Tiger, and set the Pendulum Scale!" There are gasps of shock from Dai and Akari as two cards appear in the Pendulum Zones of Yukara's disk, then two columns of light appear on the field, and two monsters, Lunalight Wolf (2000/1800), and Lunalight Tiger (1200/800), appearing in the columns, one monster per column, in which the number 1 is below Lunalight Wolf and the number 5 is below Lunalight Tiger. Yukara says, touching one card causing it to 'vanish', "Next, I activate the effect of my Lunalight Black Sheep! By discarding it from my hand, I can add one Polymerization spell card to my hand!" A card comes out of Yukara's deck and it is added to Yukara's 'hand' in which she touches said card and she says, as it 'vanishes', "Then I activate Polymerization! I fuse Lunalight Blue Cat and Lunalight Purple Butterfly in my hand!" Two cards 'vanish' from Yukara's hand, Lunalight Blue Cat (1600/1200) and Lunalight Purple Butterfly (1000/1000) appear on the field, go into a fusion vortex, and as a Fusion Monster card appears on Yukara's disk, she says, "I Fusion Summon Lunalight Cat Dancer!" Out of the fusion vortex, Lunalight Cat Dancer (2400/2000) appears on the field in attack mode.

However, thorny vines from the field wrap around Lunalight Cat Dancer, restraining it, and Akari says, "Due to Black Garden, your Cat Dancer's power is cut in half and I gain one Rose Token!" Lunalight Cat Dancer then goes from 2400/2000 to 1200/2000 and one Rose Token (800/800) appears on Akari's field in attack mode.

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "However, Lunalight Purple Butterfly's ability activates! When it goes to the graveyard from my hand or field, one Lunalight monster on my field gains one thousand attack points until the end of this turn!" Lunalight Cat Dancer then goes from 1200/2000 to 2200/2000 and Yukara says, touching one card in her hand causing it to 'vanish', "Then I activate my Luna Light Perfume! I can now summon one Lunalight monster in my graveyard and I choose my Blue Cat!" Soon after, Lunalight Blue Cat (1600/1200-800/1200) appears on the field in defense mode, but it is restrained by thorny vines and another Rose Token (800/800) appears on Akari's field in attack mode. Yukara says, with a sly smile, "While your garden cuts its attack power in half, it doesn't stop her ability! I can target one other Lunalight monster and she gains double its original attack points until the end of the turn!"

Akari asks, nervously, "Wait! ORIGINAL attack points?!"

Yukara says, in a sly sultry tone, "That's right, cutie. That means that she gains twenty-four hundred attack points!" Lunalight Cat Dancer then 'meows' loudly as it goes from 2200/2000 to 4600/2000 due to Blue Cat's ability.

Dai says, nervously, "Oh, crap! That cat has some claws!"

Yukara says, with a nod, "Very good assessment. I also activate Cat Dancer's ability and I release my Blue Cat to make your monster's unable to be destroyed once!"

Blue Cat vanishes from the field and Akari asks, curiously and a bit nervously, "Why would you do that?"

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "This ability allows my Cat Dancer to attack all of your monsters twice in a row!"

Dai says, nervously, "Uh oh!"

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "Sorry, my dear, but this duel is over! Cat Dancer, attack her Rose Token!" Cat Dancer's nails become long claws and she prepares to charge in.

Akari says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "I activate my trap: Spirit Barrier!" Akari's face-down card is revealed to be the Spirit Barrier continuous trap card and Akari says, "As long as this trap card is in play, as long as I have monsters on the field, I take no battle damage from any attacks!"

Yukara says, with a sly smile and a nod, "Very good, but my Cat Dancer has another ability. When she attacks, you suffer one hundred points of damage." Cat Dancer fires her nails in which Akari yelps as she is hit causing her to lose 100 points while Cat Dancer's attack slashes at Rose Token, but doesn't destroy and Akari's trap negates all of the battle damage. Yukara says, with a sly smile, "However, your token is toast since my Cat Dancer can attack again."

But as Cat Dancer prepares her second attack, Akari says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "I don't think so! I activate my second trap: Impenetrable Attack!" Akari's other face-down card is revealed to be the Impenetrable Attack trap card and Akari says, "This card has two effects and I use the effect where all of my monsters can't be destroyed this turn, so, they are safe!"

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "But you aren't, remember? My Cat Dancer scratches off another one hundred of your life-points." Akari yelps as she gets scratched by a barrage of nails causing her to lose 100 more life-points and Yukara says, with a sly smile, "And I have eight more attacks to go!" Cat Dancer then attacks the rest of Akari's monsters, each one twice, in which Cat Dancer's effect costs Akari a total of 800 life-points, 100 life-points per attack, in which when Cat Dancer's attacks are done, Yukara says, "Then I activate the other effect of my Luna Light Perfume spell card! By removing it from play and discarding a card, I can add one Lunalight from my deck to my hand!" The last card in Yukara's 'hand' vanishes and a card comes out of her deck where it appears in front of her in which Yukara says, with a sly smile, "However, the card that I discarded was Card of Compensation! Since I discarded it from my hand, I get two more cards from my deck!" Two more cards come out of Yukara's deck and goes into her 'hand'. Yukara says, touching one card causing it to 'vanish', "I'll set this card face-down and end my turn." Cat Dancer's attack goes from 4600/2000 back down to 1200/2000 since the effects of Blue Cat and Purple Butterfly have ended.

Current Score:

Akari: 3000

Yukara: 4000

Yuna says, amazed, "She's good."

Akari says, as a card comes out of her deck, "It's my turn! I draw!"

Yukara says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "I activate my trap card: Thunder of Ruler!" Yukara's face-down is revealed to be the Thunder of Ruler trap card and Yukara says, "I can activate this trap during your Standby Phase and when it is activated, you can't take your Battle Phase this turn."

Akari says, "I switch all of my monsters in attack mode to defense mode." All of Akari's monsters, minus Garden Rose Maiden, switch from attack mode to defense mode, and Akari says, touching both of the cards in her hand causing them to vanish, "And then I place two cards face-down and I call it a turn."

Yukara says, as a card comes out of her deck, "It's my turn, darling!" Yukara says, touching one card in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "First, I play Pot of Greed! This card allows me to draw two more cards from my deck!" Two more cards come out of her deck, Yukara smiles slyly, and she says, touching another card causing it to 'vanish', "Then I play my Giant Trunade! Now, all spell and trap cards on the field return to our hands!" A powerful wind storm appears on the field in which the cards/monsters in Akari's and Yukara's Pendulum Zones vanish as well as Akari's face-down cards and her Black Garden causing Yukara to gain two cards in her 'hand' while Akari gains five cards in her hand. Yukara says, touching another card causing it to 'vanish', "And now, I play my Card Destruction! Both of us must discard our hands and draw a new hand equal to the cards that we discarded!" Just Akari's and Yukara's 'hands' vanish in which Yukara draws four new cards while Akari draws five new cards. Yukara then says, "One of those cards was my Lunalight Kaleido Chick and when it is sent to the graveyard due to a card effect, I can add one Polymerization from my graveyard to my hand!" A card come out of the graveyard slot of Yukara's disk and it appears in her 'hand'. Yukara then says, touching one of the new cards in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "Next, I play my Pot of Avarice! This card allows me to return five monsters cards in my graveyard to my deck, reshuffle, and then I draw two new cards!" Five more cards comes out of the graveyard slot of Yukara's disk, they go back into her deck, her deck reshuffles, and two more cards come out of her disk and appear in her 'hand'.

Dai says, with a groan, "Great. She has a brand new hand to cause us a major headache."

Yukara says, touching a card in her hand, "Don't be that way, cutie! I won't hurt your princess…much. I activate my Polymerization! I fuse my Cat Dancer on my field with White Rabbit in my hand!" The card that Yukara's touches 'vanishes' along with another card in her 'hand', Lunalight White Rabbit (800/800) appears on the field, and then goes into a fusion vortex with Cat Dancer causing a new Fusion Monster card to appear on Yukara's disk in which she says, "I Fusion Summon Lunalight Panther Dancer!" Out of the fusion vortex, Lunalight Panther Dancer (2800/2500) appears on the field in attack mode. Yukara says, "And now, Panther Dancer's ability activates! During this turn, your monsters can't be destroyed when Panther Dancer attacks them for the first time, however, she can now attack them twice during the same time! Also, when she destroys a monster in battle, she gains two hundred attack points until the end of the battle! Battle!" Panther Dancer then attacks Akari's monsters in which they aren't destroyed in the first attack, but they are destroyed with the second attack, however, since all of Akari's monsters are in defense mode, she loses no life-points. When the attacks are done, Panther Dancer has gone from 2800/2000 to 3800/2000 due to her ability, but when Yukara ends her Battle Phase, Panther Dancer goes back down to her original 2800/2000 with her ability's effect ending. Yukara says, touching a card in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "And now, I end my turn with one card face-down."

Akari says, as a card comes out of her deck, "My turn!" Akari says, touching a card causing it to 'vanish', "I start off with White Rose Dragon!" Soon after, White Rose Dragon (1200/1000), a white and black young dragon with a white rose bloom coming out of its back, comes to the field in attack mode. Akari says, touching another card in her 'hand' causing it to vanish, "When this little flower comes to the field, I can play another Rose Dragon monster from my hand and I choose Red Rose Dragon!" Just then Red Rose Dragon (1000/1800), a young black dragon with green feathered wings and two rose blooms coming out of its back, appears on the field in attack mode. Akari says, "And now, I tune Red Rose Dragon with White Rose Dragon!" Red Rose Dragon turns into three stars that turn into three rings that surround White Rose Dragon, turning it transparent, and when a column of light appears on the field, a Synchro Monster card appears on Akari's disk causing her to say, " _Cold flames shall envelop the whole world! Pitch-black flower, come into bloom! Synchro Summon!_ " Akari shouts out, "Come on out, Black Rose Dragon!" Out of the light, Black Rose Dragon (2400/1800) appears on the field in attack mode in which Akari's and Dai's Marks of the Dragon appear and glow on their right arms, once more, in which both Yukara and Yuna take notice, and Akari says, "Red and White Rose Dragon's effects now activate! Since Red Rose Dragon was used for the Synchro Summoning of a Plant Synchro Monster or, in this case, Black Rose Dragon, I can take one summon one Rose Dragon from my deck or hand! And I choose Blue Rose Dragon!" A card comes out of Akari's deck, appears on her disk, and Blue Rose Dragon (1600/1200) appears on the field in attack mode. Akari says, as another card comes out of her deck, "Then I add another card from my deck to my hand!" The card that came out of Akari's deck appears in her hand and she then says, "And finally, White Rose Dragon allows me to send one Plant monster from my deck to the grave since she was used as Synchro Material!" A card comes out of Akari's deck and 'vanishes' in which Akari says, touching one card in front of her in which it 'vanishes', "Then I activate my Block Attack trap card and switch your Panther Dancer from attack to defense mode!" Panther Dancer then switches from attack mode to defense mode.

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "I see."

Akari says, "And now, I activate Black Rose Dragon's ability! I remove one Plant monster from my grave to switch your Panther Dancer to attack mode and making her attack zero!" A card comes out of the slot of Akari's disk, 'vanishes', an image of Rose Fairy appears, goes up to Black Rose Dragon, and Black Rose Dragon 'eats' the image of Rose Fairy in which Akari yells out, "Rose Restriction!" A pair of black thorny vines comes out of Black Rose Dragon, bind Panther Dancer, force her into attack mode, and Panther Dancer goes from 2800/2000 to 0/2000 in which Akari shouts out, "Black Rose Dragon, attack! Black Rose Flare!" Black Rose Dragon unleashes dark violet flames with black rose petals that slam into Panther Dancer causing her to howl in pain as she is destroyed in which Yukara grunts as she is hit and slightly burned by the flames as she loses 2400 life-points.

Yukara says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "I activate my trap: Lunalight Reincarnation Dance!" Yukara's face-down card is revealed to be the Lunalight Reincarnation Dance trap card and Yukara says, "When a monster of mine is destroyed, I can add two Lunalight monsters from my deck to my hand!" Two cards come out of Yukara's deck and appear in her 'hand'.

Dai says, with a sly smile, "It doesn't matter! Kari-chan has one more attack and you have nothing to defend yourself!"

Akari yells out, "Blue Rose Dragon, end this duel! Direct attack!"

As Blue Rose Dragon prepares to attack, Yukara says, touching a card in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "Not so fast! I activate my Crouching Tiger Quick-Play Spell card! I discard one Lunalight monster from my hand to lower the attack power of one of your monsters by the amount of its attack points!" Yukara touches another card in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish' and an 'image' of Lunalight Blue Cat (1600/1200) appears on the field where it leaps 'into' Blue Rose Dragon causing it to roar out as it goes down from 1600/1200 to 0/1200 causing its attack to do no damage to Yukara.

Akari says, touching two cards causing them to 'vanish', "I end my turn with two cards face-down." Just then Blue Rose Dragon goes up from 0/1200 back to its original 1600/1200 due to the effect of Yukara's spell card ending.

Current Scores:

Akari: 3000

Yukara: 1600

Yukara says, as a card comes out of her deck, "My turn! I draw!" Yukara says, touching a card in front of her causing the card to 'vanish', "I'll start off with Card of Burial Magic! I remove three spell cards from my graveyard and then I draw two new cards from my deck!" Three cards come out of the graveyard slot of Yukara's disk, 'vanish', and two more cards come out of her deck in which Yukara says, touching another card causing it to 'vanish', "Then I activate my Fusion Sage! With it, I can bring out one Polymerization card from my deck!" A card comes out of Yukara's deck and appears in Yukara's 'hand'. Yukara says, touching, yet, another card and causing it to 'vanish', "Then I play Monster Reborn! I use it to revive Lunalight Panther Dancer!" Lunalight Panther Dancer (2800/2500) then reappears on the field in attack mode. Yukara says, touching, yet, another card and causing that card to 'vanish', "Then I play Polymerization! I fuse my Panther Dancer on the field with Lunalight Wolf and Lunalight Tiger in my hand!" Two more cards in Yukara's 'hand' vanish causing Lunalight Wolf (2000/1800) and Lunalight Tiger (1200/800) to appear on the field in which they go into a fusion vortex with Lunalight Panther Dancer where a brand new Fusion Monster card appears on Yukara's duel disk. Yukara then says, "Now, get ready for the most alluring dancer of them all, darling! I Fusion Summon Lunalight Leo Dancer!" Out of the fusion vortex, Lunalight Leo Dancer (3500/3000) appears on the field in attack mode and Yukara says, slyly, "Sorry, sweetie, but it is over! Leo Dancer, cut down her Black Rose Dragon!" Lunalight Leo Dancer slashes Black Rose Dragon and it roars out as it is destroyed in a strong explosion in which Akari grunts as she loses 1100 life-points. Yukara says, with a sly smile, "Due to his ability, Leo Dancer can attack twice per turn! Now, attack her Blue Rose Dragon and end this duel!"

Leo Dancer charges in to attack Blue Rose Dragon and Akari yells out, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "Activate trap!"

Yukara says, with a sly smile, "I'm sorry, but my Leo Dancer can't be targeted by card effects much less destroyed by them."

Akari says, with a smile, "Then it is a good thing this trap isn't targeting her. I activate my Double Down trap card!" Akari's face-down card is revealed to be a trap card with a picture of poker game with one person pushing all of their chips into the 'pot' in which Akari says, "And now, the battle damage that I take with this attack is doubled!"

Yukara asks, shocked, "But why? My attack is enough to take out your life-points without that trap! Why do this?!"

Akari says, pushing another button on her disk's touch screen, "Because of this!" Just then Leo Dancer's attack strikes home and Blue Rose Dragon roars out as it is destroyed in a massive explosion covering Akari in a lot of smoke and flower petals.

Dai yells out, worriedly, "Kari-chan!"

Yukara says, shaking her head, "Well, this duel is over. My attack would have taken nineteen hundred life-points, but your foolish trap doubled it to nearly four thousand." However, when the dust fades, Akari is still standing with 2100 life-points instead of 1900 in which Yukara asks, confused, "Wait! Why did your life-points go up instead of down?" Just then she gasps as she sees a Nutrient Z trap card and she says, shocked, "That trap!"

Akari says, with a smile, "Yep! My Nutrient Z trap card! Since I was about to take two thousand or more points in damage, this boosted my life-points by four thousand giving me more than enough to survive your attack!"

As the shock wears off, Yukara says, with a sly smile, "That's why you played that other trap. Clever."

Akari says, as three cards come out of her disk, "Speaking of my Double Down trap card, it gives me one card for every one thousand life-points that I lost. Since I lost over three thousand, it gives me three cards. Oh, plus, since you destroyed Blue Rose Dragon, my Black Rose Dragon returns to the field!" Black Rose Dragon (2400/1800) roars out as it returns to the field in defense mode.

Dai shouts out, excitedly, "Way to go, Kari-chan!"

Yukara says, with a smile, "I end my turn."

Current Scores:

Akari: 2100

Yukara: 1600

Akari says, as a card comes out of her deck, "My turn! I draw!" Akari says, touching one card in her 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "I activate my Graceful Charity! I draw three new cards from my deck and discard two from my hand!" Three cards come out of Akari's deck, appear in her 'hand', and then two cards 'vanish' from her 'hand' in which Akari says, "Next, I activate the effect of one of the cards that I sent to my grave! The trap card, Blooming Rose! Now, I can remove my Black Rose Dragon from play and return this card to the bottom of my deck, but during the next Standby Phase, my dragon comes back!" Black Rose Dragon roars out as it vanishes in a swirl of rose petals while said card comes out of the graveyard of Akari's disk and returns to her deck.

Yukara asks, confused, "Why would you do that?"

Akari says, touching a card causing it to 'vanish', "You are going to find out when I play my Trap Booster spell card! By discarding one card, I can play one trap card from my hand!" A card 'vanishes' from Akari's 'hand' and she says, touching another card causing it to 'vanish' as well, "And I choose my Cosmic Blast trap card! When a Dragon Synchro Monster is removed from the field, you take damage equal to that dragon's attack points!" Yukara gives a look of shock as an image of Black Rose Dragon appears on the field and unleashes a storm of rose petal at Yukara, who just smiles as she knocked down by the storm causing her to lose 2400 life-points as well as the duel.

Yuna says, excitedly, "She did it!"

Dai says, with a grin, "I knew that she would!"

Final Score:

Akari: 2100

Yukara: 0

With the end of the duel, the final 'images' fade away and Yukara says, with a sigh and sly smile, "It would have been nice to have the cute company, but oh well. Well played."

Akari asks, "Thank you for the duel. Can we have the way home?"

Yukara creates a golden key and she says, with a smile, "Yes, here you go." The golden key glows, creating a bright light that forces Akari's, Dai's, and Yuna's lights in which they don't see lights going into Akari's and Dai's duel disks, and shoots out into the sky some distance away in which she says, with a sly smile, "The portal home is open, but you must hurry."

Dai says, with a smile, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Akari gives a respective bow as she hurries off with Dai and Yuna to head home.

After they are gone, Yukara says, "Maybe I should have told them of the last challenge ahead?" Yukara shrugs and she says, "I'm sure that they can handle it. And I'm sure that they can handle the gifts that I gave them." Yukara gives a stretch and a cat-like yawn as she relaxes on the ground.

( **A short time afterwards** )

Dai, Akari, and Yuna are running through the streets of the town as they looking up at a portal showing Flosshilde, the Ring of Ice.

Akari says, "It's Flosshilde!"

Dai says, with a nod, "You know it, Kari-chan!" The group arrives at a park where the portal is floating above and there is a column of golden light coming from the portal in the center of the park. Dai says, with a grin, "Follow the 'golden brick road'!"

Akari says, with a giggle, "You mean 'YELLOW brick road', Dai-kun."

Dai says, "Whatever. It is the way home." The group heads straight for the portal, but then a mystical forcefield surrounds the portal and 'golden light' that's the 'path' into the portal causing Dai to yell out, "Hey!"

Just then a male voice shouts out, "You aren't going anywhere!" Just then a brown cloaked figure leaps in front of Dai, Akari, and Yuna.

Dai yells out, "Hey! Are you the one that did this?!"

The brown cloaked figure says, in the male voice, "Indeed. And you aren't going through until I have a duel against you."

When the cloaked figure points at Dai, Dai asks, curiously, "Me?"

The brown cloaked figure says, "Yes, you! You are a duelist of the Elemental Hero style of dueling aren't you? I can sense it!"

Dai says, nervously, "Well…"

The brown cloaked figure says, "Don't deny it! I can smell the power of the Elemental Heroes on you!" The brown cloaked figure throws off the hooded cloak to reveal a male elf with short silver hair, a red mask over his blue eyes, and wearing an outfit similar to Aster Phoenix's classic outfit with what looks like a silver Real Solid Vision duel disk attached to his left wrist in which the silver haired male elf says, "I am Aegis and a master of the Destiny Hero style of dueling! The Elemental Heroes and Destiny Heroes have been fighting for a generation and it is time for it to end! I shall beat you, a user of the Elemental Heroes, to prove that the Destiny Heroes are destined for greatness!"

Dai says, nervously, "Okay…"

The male elf, Aegis, says, with a sly smile, "If you wish to get home, then you will need to duel me. This barrier will only drop with my defeat and this portal won't last long."

Dai says, with an angered snarl, "Fine!" Dai then steps forward, brings out his disk, and pushing a button on his disk causing a holographic screen displaying two decks in which he thinks in his mind, _"It is a good thing that my Elemental Heroes deck as well as my dragons deck came with us!"_ Dai pushes on one of the decks displayed and that deck appears in his duel disk. Akari and Yuna step aside as Dai comes forward and Dai says, "Let's do this!"

Aegis says, with a nod, "We shall see how brave you are after this!" Aegis snaps his fingers and the 'safety system' used in 'official duels' in this world appears in which Aegis says, "This shall be an honorable duel!"

Dai thinks in his mind, _"Says the guy preventing us from leaving to get his precious duel!"_ Dai and Aegis activate their duel disk causing the 'energy blades' that contain their disks' Monster and Pendulum Zones to appear, their decks are shuffled, and as their disks' touch screens display 4000 life-points, five cards come out of their respective hands and 'float' in front of the two duelists.

"Game on!" Dai and Aegis say in unison as their duel begins.

Starting Scores:

Dai: 4000

Aegis: 4000

Aegis says, "There will be no leeway from me! I shall take the first turn!" Aegis says, touching one card causing it to 'vanish', "I shall start with Polymerization!" Two cards in Aegis' 'hand' then 'vanishes', Destiny Hero-Defender (100/2700) and Destiny Hero-Departed (1000/0) appear on the field, and Aegis says, as the two monsters goes into a fusion vortex, "I fuse Defender and Departed to bring out Destiny Hero Dangerous in attack mode!" A Fusion Monster card appears on Aegis' disk and out of the vortex, Destiny Hero-Dangerous (2000/2600) appears on the field in attack mode and Aegis says, touching another card causing it to 'vanish', "And then I place one card face-down and I end my turn!"

Dai says, as a card comes out of his deck, "It's my turn! I draw!"

Aegis says, pushing a button on his disk, "I activate my trap: Destruction of Destiny!" Aegis' face-down card is revealed to be the Destruction of Destiny trap card and Aegis says, "This trap card forces me to discard the top three cards in my deck and for every spell and trap card that I discard, I lose one thousand points, but I'm sure that destiny is on my side!" The top three cards come out of Aegis' deck and they are revealed to be Destiny Hero-Malicious (800/800), Destiny Hero-Disk Commander (300/300), and Destiny Hero-Double Dude (1000/1000) monster cards in which Aegis says, with a sly smirk, "No monsters here!"

As the three cards vanish, Dai thinks in his mind, _"Something tells me that those monsters might be helpful to his plans, but he is about to get a bad surprise!"_ Dai says, touching a card causing it to 'vanish', "I start with my Fusion Birth spell card! I discard the top five cards from my deck and summon a Fusion Monster that could be summoned through the monsters sent to the graveyard!" Five cards come out of his deck and they are revealed to be Elemental Hero Neos (2500/2000), Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin (600/800), Neo-Spacian Dark Panther (1000/500), Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab (500/500), and Elemental Hero Blazeman (1200/1800) in which they vanish causing Dai to say, as a Fusion Monster card appears on his disk, "Thanks to these monsters, I play Elemental Hero Brave Neos in attack mode!" Out of a fusion vortex, Elemental Hero Brave Neos (2500/2000), a 'pumped up' version of Neos with violet markings and shoulder guards, appears on the field in attack mode. Dai says, "Brave Neos gains one hundred attack points for each Hero and Neo-Spacian in the graveyard!" Brave Neos then goes from 2500/2000 to 3000/2000 due to his ability.

Aegis says, confidently, "Impressive!" Aegis thinks in his mind, slyly, _"The instant that you attack, however, it won't be impressive enough."_

Dai says, touching a card in his 'hand' causing it to 'vanish', "You are going to be more 'impressed' when I play! The spell card, Miracle Contact! Now, I can return Neos and Neo-Spacians from my hand, field, or graveyard back to my deck to summon a Neos Fusion Monster! I choose Neos along with Aqua Dolphin, Dark Panther, and Flare Scarab!"

Aegis asks, surprised, "What?!" Just then four cards come out of the graveyard slot of Dai's duel disk, they return to his deck, and four said monsters appear on the field.

Dai yells out, "Show him guys! Go, Quadruple Contact Fusion!" All four monsters leap into a 'galaxy' that appears in the sky and a bright light covers the field as a Fusion Monster card appears on Dai's disk duel in which he says, "Meet the one and only…Elemental Hero Cosmo Neos!" Out of the light, Elemental Hero Cosmos Neos (3500/3000), a Neos style humanoid monster with an alternate version of Chaos Neos' head, silver-blue version of Storm Neos' chest, one of Storm Neos' wings with Magma Neos' wings, Magma Neos' left hand, Chaos Neos' right hand, Chaos Neos' armored lower legs, and light-blue and silver versions of Chaos Neos' feet, appears on the field in attack mode in which Brave Neos goes from 3000/2000 to 2600/2000 due to loss of four certain monsters from Dai's graveyard.

Aegis says, a bit nervous through not showing it as best as he can, "You may have gained a new monster, but your other monster lost power!"

Dai says, with a grin, "Maybe, but it is worth it! Cosmo Neos is awesome…In the fact that when he comes a calling, you can't activate any effects for this turn and you can't activate any cards and effects in reply to the activation of this sweet ability!"

Aegis yells out, stunned, "No! But that means…!"

Dai says, pointing to Aegis' monster, "Dangerous isn't so dangerous anymore!" Destiny Hero-Dangerous groans out as his abilities are negated and Dai yells out, "Cosmo Neos, attack his Destiny Hero!" Dai touches a card in his 'hand' causing it to vanish and Dai says, "And now, I activate Elemental Hero Honest Neos' ability! By sending him from my hand to the grave, one Hero gains twenty-five hundred attack points this turn!" An image of Elemental Hero Honest Neos (2500/2000) appears, goes into Cosmo Neos, and Cosmo Neos goes from 3500/3000 to 6000/2000 while Brave Neos goes from 2600/2000 to 2700/2000 since there is another Hero monster in the grave.

Aegis says, flabbergasted, "But how can this be?! I don't understand!"

Dai says, seriously, "Well, you might understand this! When people and things that are precious to me are on the line, I don't pull my punches, I throw down like no tomorrow! Game over, dude! Cosmo Neos, end this duel! Finish his Dangerous and his life-points with Big Bang Crush!" Cosmo Neos' right hand glows rainbow colors, he snaps his fingers, and Dangerous is engulfed in a 'Big Bang style' explosion of rainbow energy causing him to roar as he is destroyed in which the shockwave sends Aegis flying backwards in which he yells out as he loses 4000 life-points as well as the duel!

Final Score:

Davis: 4000

Aegis: 0

With the end of the duel, the final monsters on the field 'vanish' and the barrier surrounding the portal and 'golden gateway' vanish like glass shattering.

Yuna says, amazed, "Amazing. He won in one turn!"

Akari says, with a warm loving smile, "That's my Dai-kun! He always comes through in a pinch!"

Dai says, with a grin, "You know it, Kari-chan!" Just then the portal 'flickers' and Dai says, "Uh oh! Time to make like a tree leaf and blow!" Immediately, Dai, Akari, and Yuna rush into the 'golden light beam', passing by a stunned Aegis, and all of them yell as they are lifted into the air, towards the portal, and when they get close to the portal, all of them as they are engulfed by light and it goes 'black' for all of them.

 _ **November 2025, ALO, Svart Alfheim, Flosshilde**_

Now, we back in ALO, specifically Flosshilde, where we find Dai and Akari, both of whom are back in their 'ALO forms', in which they are lying unconscious in the snow.

A familiar male voice shouts out, "Kari! Kari!" Akari groans out as she slowly starts to wake up as she gets to a sitting position, shakes her head, and she looks to see our heroes and heroines, in their ALO avatars, looking at her and Dai, as he regains consciousness and comes into a sitting position.

Taichi knees down in front of Akari and he asks, concerned, "Kari, are you okay?"

Akari asks, regaining her senses, "Big brother?"

Sam asks Dai, "Are you okay?"

Dai responds, "Ask the splitting headache that I have."

Takeru says, with a smile, "He's okay."

Kirito comes over and he asks Dai and Akari, "What happened to the two of you?"

Asuna says, "Yui-chan found that your signals in ALO have vanished and it seemed like you were logged out from what we saw on our message boards, but Taichi found that Akari was still wearing her Amusphere."

Kirito says, "And from the way that Yui-chan said that you 'vanished', it didn't seem like you logged out of ALO."

Dai asks, surprised, "Were we gone long?"

Miyako yells out, "You were missing for hours! We were searching high and low in Flosshilde for you!"

Leafa asks, "What happened to the two of you?"

Akari was about to answer and she asks, noticing someone missing, "Wait! Yuna-san?! Where's Yuna-san?!"

Hana asks, curiously, "Yuna-san? Was someone with you?"

Dai says, "Yeah. She was with us, in Flosshilde, when we got sucked into another virtual world."

There are looks of surprise from the others and Silica asks, "Into another virtual world?"

Akari says, with a nod, "Yeah, it is a bit hard to believe, but it happened."

Kirito says, "I think that it is best that we get back to Agil's shop in Ryne and discuss it there."

Sinon says, with a nod, "Agreed. This isn't the best place to be having a discussion." Dai and Akari nod their heads in agreement as they get to their feet and head for the teleportation gate to return to Ryne.

 _ **November 2025, ALO, Svart Alfheim, Ryne**_

In the main player city in Svart Alfheim, Ryne, we are in Agil's shop/café where Dai and Akari explained what happened to them.

When they are done, Agil whistles and he says, "Wow. It looks like you have been through such an adventure."

Makoto says, with a nod, "I'll say."

Takeru asks, "Not to insult you or anything, but you can be sure that it wasn't a dream?"

Dai says, "The sores that I can feel through my avatar say that it was damn real, TC."

Philia asks, "If that was real, where did they go?"

Strea says, excitedly, "Maybe it was like that Rainbow Gardens that they were trapped in before they came to SAO!"

Yui, in her 'pixie form', flies over and she says, "It is quite possible. With the knowledge that these type of 'digital realms' exist, it is possible that there is one based a lot of Duel Monsters since the game has been around for much time especially with its close relation to digital technology in the form of the Solid Vision system."

Hana says, amazed, "Wow! That's amazing."

Klein says, "Yeah, but onto this cute girl, Yuna-san…!"

Lisbeth says, with a sigh, "Should have known that you would go back to that, Klein."

Klein gives an annoyed look, but then the bell that signifies someone is entering is heard and Agil says, looking at the entrance to his shop, "Hello! Ah, Rain!" Everyone then looks to see Rain, the red-headed sword wielding female Leprechaun and fellow SAO like Usagi, Kirito, Asuna, and other SAO survivors in our group of heroes and heroines, walking over.

Asuna says, with a smile, "Hello, Rain-chan!"

Rain responds, "Privyet (A/N: Russian for 'hello'.), Asuna! Everyone!"

Kirito says, with a nod of acknowledgement, "Hello, Rain! Guess you are taking a break from your 'idol training'."

Rain asks, curiously, "Yep! So, what's everyone doing today?"

Lisbeth says, with a grin, "We just found out that Dai and Akari went on a 'wacky adventure'?"

Rain asks, curiously, "Wacky adventure?" Dai and Akari then start to explain what happened, but when they mentioned Yuna, she asks, "Wait! Yuna?"

Everyone looks at Rain, curiously, and Kirito asks, "Someone that you know?"

Rain says, shaking her head, "Not personally, but she is someone that's making a splash as a 'virtual idol' much like Seven. She has been appearing in various VRMMO worlds that have been popping up ever since 'The Seed' allowed a lot of people to create their own VRMMO games."

Dai gets an idea and he asks, "Do you have a picture of her?"

Rain says, with a nod, "Yes, I do."

Lisbeth asks, slyly, "Keeping an eye on the 'competition', huh?"

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Liz…" Rain then brings out her player menu and when she makes it visible, it is displaying Yuna on it.

Akari yells out, "That's Yuna-san!"

There are looks of surprise and Taichi asks Akari, "Are you sure?"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yep! That was her exactly!"

Miyako asks, curiously, "Wait! She looked EXACTLY like that? How come she didn't look like a fairy here in ALO?"

Kirito says, with a curious look, "Good question."

Asuna says, "You have that look, Kirito-kun."

Kirito asks, curiously, "Look?"

Taichi says, with a smile, "Like there is some kind of mystery to be solved."

Kirito asks Asuna, "Do I really have that kind of 'look'?"

Asuna giggles and she responds, "You tend to have those kind of 'looks', Kirito-kun."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Maybe you should be a detective like Sam is going to be."

Kirito says, plainly, "No way, Sugu."

Haruka says, "Well, the mystery isn't what she was doing there. It is quite obvious on what she was doing there. She was in Flosshilde to get some practice. It might be a weird place to practice, but if you are smart to avoid areas with monsters, you could have a good decent place to practice your singing."

Rain says, with a nod, "I agree, Haruka."

Tomoe asks, curiously, "Then what is the mystery, Haruka-papa?"

Sam responds, "Why her avatar wasn't any different than this picture?"

Akari says, thoughtfully, "She did tell us that: 'She wasn't an NPC, but she wasn't a 'typical player' either'."

Miyako asks, confused, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Leafa asks Kirito, "Any ideas, big brother?"

Kirito says, "I'm not sure, Sugu." Kirito thinks in his mind, _"But I have a few ideas about that."_

Silica asks, curiously, "Why did her avatar remain the same?"

Mizuno says, "There could be an error."

Mamoru says, "That's the logical explanation." Mamoru says, looking at the picture that Rain was displaying with her menu, "However, based on what you are saying, her avatar remains the same throughout different VRMMO worlds." Rain's eyes widen at what Mamoru is implying and he says, looking at everyone, "However, we won't know the full story until we confront Yuna-san ourselves."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Agreed. For now, we can only wonder." At the main entrance into Ryne, none other than Yuna is looking in the direction of Agil's shop/café and smiling as she vanishes through what looks like an ALO teleportation effect.

 **The End…of the story**

And here we go! What do you think of this story? You see, a lot of the stories orbit around Kazuto/Kirito, Serena/Usagi, and Suguha/Leafa, I thought that I give other characters their place in the spotlight since certain members of our heroes and heroines have their own importance including our Digidestined of Miracles and our Digidestined of Light. And yes, there will be plenty of stories for the other characters, I have ideas for them, but they will take time to develop. Please read and revive to tell me what you think, but no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	23. Rivers of Contention

Well, here we are at the next story and since it is Christmas, I wanted to do a Christmas story which is why I'm doing this one. I'm also doing this as a 'crossover' between my Progressive stories with my Digital Knight stories because the Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are going to be working together, a lot, with the Digital Knights, so, creating two sets of stories for them is…impractical. I hope that you like this 'crossover thing' that I'm doing for them on this floor of Aincrad, everyone. And Happy Holidays to you all! Now, before I start, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization as well as the idea of Darth Revan Sammy Tsukino, the other alternate versions of said character, and the basic plot of this one-shot._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 23: Progressive and Digital Knights 3: Rivers of Contention**

 _ **December 21, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Fourth Floor Entrance**_

Right now, in SAO, we find nine members of our 'top players' group, the 'front runners', in the form of Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, our Moon Princess, niece of the creator of this 'death game', and currently, becoming the famous 'White Swordswoman' of SAO, with the half-a-dozen members of the Digital Knights, the third player guild of Aincrad, in the form of Taichi, Yamato, Sam, Miyako, Takeru, and Junpier. They are in front of the front door leading the fourth floor of Aincrad, which is the highest floor that have floating virtual castle world that they have gotten to so far in over a month since this horrid nightmare began.

Asuna tells Kirito, "So, how long are you going to stand there? You've spent enough time examining the carved relief on the door."

Usagi asks Kirito, "Is something wrong, Kirito?"

Taichi asks, curiously, "What's so weird about this door?"

Kirito replies, "It is the picture on the door." Everyone looks at the relief carved into the door where they see it is a traveler rowing a small boat that looked like a gondola.

Miyako says, with a shrug, "Yeah, so? It is some guy rowing a boat in a river."

Kirito says, "Yeah, but back in the beta, this wasn't the relief on the door."

Takeru asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Kirito says, "In the beta, the door was a traveler wandering through a desert canyon. But in this one, the person is on a boat."

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Uh oh."_

Sam asks Kirito, "Kirito, was the fourth floor in the beta like a desert?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Exactly. It was a crisscrossing web of canyons that were sandy at the bottom and you had no choice, but to travel through those canyons with the sand making it hard to walk."

Usagi says, "I remember the doors the previous floor having carving similar to what we found on those floors. There was a bull-head on the door to the second floor and there were two knights dueling under a massive tree on the door to the third floor."

Yamato says, "That means that every door tells the 'theme' of the floor that we would be going up to."

Taichi says, "That means that since the door has a person on a boat, it means…" Soon enough, the group goes to the door and opens it in which a bright light fills their vision causing them to squint from the light. When their eyes finished adjusting to the light, they find that the pavilion that was the exit from those coming from the third floor boss room leads into a steep hill fills with lush greenery with a single tree on the hill, which is ninety feet across, was surrounded by canyon cliffs all around with much of it filled with water making the hill a small island.

Asuna tells Kirito, "Well, that's that."

Junpier says, amazed, "Wow."

Takeru says, with a nod, "That's one way of putting it."

On the meanwhile, Kirito was looking at the scenery until Asuna asks, jabbing Kirito in the elbow, "So, how long are you going to stand there?"

Kirito snaps out of his thoughts and he says, nervously, "Sorry, my bad, I was spacing out."

Asuna says, "I wasn't asking for an apology, but there are plenty of people waiting for us reaching the main city and activate the teleporter."

Kirito says, "Oh, right. We should inform Argo that we defeated the boss."

Usagi says, "I already did that Kirito."

Kirito asks, surprised, "Really?"

Asuna asks, with a smile, "She already contacted her while you were off in la-la land. Now, let's get going to the main city. Whether there's water or not, the route is still the same as before, right?"

Kirito says, nervously, "Well…I think so…"

Asuna says, with a smile, "Then lead the way!"

Usagi tells Asuna, "Asuna, I don't think that it is that simple."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Why?"

Miyako says, pointing to the water, "That water should be a clue. Look at it."

Junpier says, "We can't get to the other side like this."

Kirito says, "No kidding. In fact, I don't think that there is another side. In the beta, these canyons were the only way to get to the towns and dungeons on the floor. Now, if they are filled with water, then all of the canyons are filled with water."

Taichi says, "That means that there is no path to follow."

Kirito says, "Exactly."

Sam tells Kirito, "And if this floor has so radically changed, it may mean that your knowledge of what it was during the beta test may be useless. Sorry."

Kirito says, shaking his head, "No, Sam. To be honest, the instant that I saw this, I was starting to feel the same way."

Asuna asks, looking at the cliffs, "What's it like on top of those cliffs?"

Kirito replies, "Don't know. Nobody was able to climb it in the beta."

Asuna asks, "So, it's basically a system-designed barrier?"

Kirito says, shaking his head, "Not explicitly, but the rock was too fragile. Everyone fell down part way…even me. And once you feel from above the halfway point, pretty much every landing was fatal."

Asuna says, "That sounds too dangerous to test right now even the landing below is water right now."

Sam says, with a nod of his head, "Agreed, Asuna. Even if the landing isn't as bad as in solid ground, hitting water from a great height…is just plain bad."

Asuna says, "Then I suppose our only option is to swim the river."

Usagi says, "That might be complicated, Asuna."

Asuna asks Usagi, "How so?"

Usagi responds, "Swimming in VR is different than IRL. I'm not sure that the same rules apply in SAO, but I know for a fact that if your head goes under the water, you don't exactly drown…Well, the way that you do IRL. If you aren't holding your breath and your head is below the waterline, your HP begins to drop and if you don't emerge before your HP hits zero…"

Takeru says, with a plain tone and nod of understanding, "Game over in the worst way."

Kirito says, "Bingo, she is right. Swimming in SAO is much different than in IRL."

Asuna says, "That means that it is going to take practice." Asuna asks the others, "Did any of you had practice?"

Kirito says, "I do. And with learning how to swim, here, it depends on the person. It took me over an hour and that was in shallows just three feet deep. It's too dangerous to practice in a deep, rushing river like this."

Junpier says, with a nod, "No joke."

Asuna says, wit ha sigh, "I see. In that case, we should go back to an earlier floor and find a safe practice, I suppose."

Usagi says, "Hold on, Asuna. I don't think that the designers would make the change without making a solution for us to get from here to the next town."

Taichi says, "I have to agree with her. Of course, they also didn't design it to trap the players in the game itself."

Usagi says, changing the subject, "Anyway, there should be a way to get off this island."

Yamato says, "Let's start looking around." However, Kirito is focused on the tree and when he had a good look at the tree, he heads off to the tree.

Asuna asks, curiously when seeing Kirito head for the tree, "Hey, where are you going?" Everyone focuses on Kirito and seeing him go to the tree, the rest of the group follow him to the tree.

Usagi asks, curiously, "What's up, Kirito?"

Kirito says, pointing up to the tree, "That's what's up." When everyone looks up to the tree, they find that it is growing fruit of various colors, but the fruit was unusual in that the fruit was circular with a hole in the middle making them 'donut-shaped'.

Asuna says, "They look tasty, but this isn't the time to be enjoying a snack, Kirito."

Sam says, "I'm not sure that fruit is for eating."

Miyako says, "Yeah. What kind of fruit looks like a donut? That's just plain weird."

Takeru says, with a slight nervous smile, "Well, this is SAO."

Yamato says, "You have a point, little bro. However, I think that Sam and Miyako also have a point."

Juniper asks, "So, if they aren't for eating, then what are they there for?"

Kirito says, "Let's knock down a few to find out." Kirito then attempts to get the branches the shake, but the tree wouldn't budge an inch.

Taichi says, "Dude, I don't think a tree would shake so easily VR."

Miyako says, "Maybe we could knock it down with a throwing weapon."

Sam says, "That would be a good idea…if we had a Throwing Knives skill."

Usagi says, with a nod, "We could throw rocks, but without the skill that you mentioned, we may not be able to hit it."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Is it really that important?"

Usagi tells Asuna, "Asuna, why would you have a fruit tree on an 'island' along a river that you can't cross in 'game world'?"

Sam says, with a nod, "She's right, Asuna-san. Everything in MMO games has a purpose, even if it is just as 'scenery', but stuff like this, 'stuff' you can interact with, usually has a 'purpose' in something 'out of place'."

Junpier says, nodding her head, "No joke. Even I know that."

Taichi says, "Through we can't find that out if we can't get at those items."

Kirito says, annoyed, "Damn it! If I only had three…five skill slots!" Kirito then balls his fist back in frustration, but unexpectedly, he uses **Flash Blow** , Martial Arts Skill combo, with his fist glowing red as he strikes the tree causing it to rattle causing several of the donut-like fruit to fall in which Usagi manages to catch it.

Miyako says, amazed, "Whoa!"

Junpier asks, confused, "What the?!"

Usagi says, amazed, "It worked!"

Kirito says, "I guess that it takes an impact style skill to knock them down."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Yeah, it turned out all right, but what if you broken the tree in half? We're part of the Dark Elf team, so we have to respect nature."

Kirito says, nervously, "Of course. Sorry."

Takeru asks, curiously, "What was that?"

Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi get nervous and Miyako says, "That was obviously a skill! Your fist glowed red! Don't deny it!"

Kirito says, nervously, "Well…"

Sam asks, nervously, "It must be some kind of Martial Arts skill, isn't it?"

Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna yelp and Asuna asks, nervously, "How did you know that?"

Sam responds, with a sly smile, "Some kind of 'special attacks' when a player doesn't use weapons is a classic staple in plenty of RPG games and fighting games in which you just told me, Asuna-san."

Asuna gives a nervous sweat drop and Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"We are so busted."_

Miyako asks, amazed, "How did you get a skill like that?"

Usagi says, a bit nervously, "Right now, we should focus on getting across to the other side." Usagi throws Kirito the three donut-like fruit and she then uses her own **Flash Blow** to knock down enough of the fruit for the Digital Knights.

Taichi says, "I have to agree. At this time, there are people waiting for us to open the gate in the main town on this floor. It may open automatically after a time that the boss was beaten, but keeping players waiting too long won't get you in their good graces."

Yamato says, with a nod, "Good point. Let's focus on getting across this river."

Usagi asks Kirito, "So, how is this fruit supposed to help, Kirito?"

Kirito says, "I don't think that this is fruit at all. Or at least, fruit that you are supposed to eat." Kirito throws Usagi two of the fruits in which he keeps a blue shaped one and he brings a blue colored one to his mouth with Asuna making a look that says 'I knew you were going to eat'. However, Kirito shoots her a warning look and then puts the so-called fruit's stem in his mouth in which he blows causing the 'fruit' to 'blow up' into a larger size making it look like an inner tube.

Miyako says, stunned, "No way!"

Asuna asks, amazed, "You mean…an inner tube?"

Takeru says, "Looks that way." Soon enough, the others blow into the 'stems' of the other 'fruit' and nine multi-colored inner tubes are in their hands.

Taichi says, with a grin, "Okay! We're getting somewhere now!"

Junpier says, with a nod, "Yep!"

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Good grief! I don't know what's going on here."

Kirito responds, jokingly, "You _donut_ know." Asuna glares at Kirito and everyone else just shakes their heads.

Takeru says, plainly, "Bad."

Yamato says, "If you were in a comedy routine, you would be yanked off the stage immediately."

Kirito says, sarcastically, "Thanks a lot." Soon after, Kirito creates a blank scroll of parchment and writes down how you use an impact skill to knock it down. Kirito laves the scroll, rolled up, on the ground and while its durability will decrease, Kirito knows that it will last long enough for everyone else from the boss fight to find it and know how to get the inner tube fruit.

Junpier says, "Now that we've got these, we can get going."

Asuna asks, "How can you be so sure?"

Sam says, with a smile, "They wouldn't put these here unless they can help."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's right. As long as your head doesn't go underwater, you won't lose HP while swimming. We can use this to get the main town by going through the canyon just to the south and east. However…"

Asuna asks, curiously, "Is what?"

Taichi says, pointing to his outfit, "This. In this world, leather and cloth are just as a bad as metal. Like on the 'other side', they take on water and here, they cause us to get a weight penalty. And moving around in water with a weight penalty will be a real pain in the butt."

Usagi says, holding her inner tube, "Plus, we can't be sure that these have some kind of 'weight limit' on them. I'm pretty sure that we would be just fine. Personally, I think that you would have to be a knight decked out in plate armor to make this sink, but then again, you can't be certain in this place…"

Miyako says, with a nod, "No joke, girlfriend."

Asuna says, a blush forming on her avatar's cheeks, "That means that we have to…"

Usagi says, nervously since she knows why Asuna is blushing, "Basically, yeah." Usagi says, with a sigh, "I guess that I'll have to change into my swimsuit."

Kirito and Asuna gain confused looks and Kirito asks, "Swimsuit?"

Miyako gets excited and she asks, "Oh, you found THAT place?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "THAT place?"

Junpier says, with a smile, "We found a store on the first floor that sells swimsuits at the towns nearest the lake on the northeastern part of the first floor."

Kirito and Asuna gives look of shock and Asuna asks, amazed, "Really?"

Asuna looks at Usagi and Usagi responds, nervously, "Um, you never asked?"

Taichi says, with a smile, "They sell men's and women's swimsuits in which we had to buy to handle a few quests near the lake."

Miyako says, excitedly, "They have a piece of swimsuit equipment that gives out a boost in stats that help in swimming."

Kirito asks, surprised, "Really?"

Junpier says, with a smile, "Yeah, but it is quite expensive."

When Junpier gives out the price of that certain swimsuit, Asuna says, "I can so afford that!"

Usagi says, a bit nervously, "I…have a spare."

Asuna asks Usagi, excitedly, "You do?!"

Usagi says, nervously, "Yeah…"

Asuna asks, curiously since she hears Usagi's nervous tone, "What is it?"

Miyako says, nervously, "Well…"

Junpier says, with a sly smile, "Just show her." Usagi brings out her menu and then produces a form fitting white and red bikini causing both Asuna and Kirito to blush.

Kirito asks, nervously, "Is that…?"

Miyako says, with a nod, "Yep. All of those 'special swimsuits' are bikinis for us, girls."

Junpier says, "They are 'form fitting' through not risqué."

Asuna asks, blushing and a bit nervous in her tone, "Don't you have anything else?"

Usagi says, nervously, "Well, no…I brought these because of…the bonus…"

Kirito says, adverting his head slightly away, "Well, I don't exactly blame you. If it help you in swimming, you should get it." Asuna gives Kirito a slight annoyed look, but she sighs and looks at Usagi solemnly.

Asuna says, "Okay."

Usagi tells Asuna, "You don't have to wear it, Asuna."

Asuna tells Usagi, "I know, but you know about this stuff better than I do and I would be an idiot not to take your knowledge seriously. Plus, I know that you were thinking practically."

Usagi says, with a smile, "Yep!" As Asuna prepares to reach for it, Usagi tells Asuna, "Whoa! Hold on! I have to transfer it to you or you won't be able to equip it for a while since its ownership rights will still be mine for a bit even through it isn't equipped to me."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Oh, okay." Usagi puts the bikini back into her in-game inventory and brings out a trade menu in which she 'transfers' the swimsuit to Asuna.

Just then Junpier and Miyako start to 'escort' Asuna away and Junpier says, excitedly, "Okay, girlfriend! Time to get changed!"

Asuna says, surprised, "Whoa! Wait!"

Miyako tells Asuna, "No, you don't! Let's go!" Miyako glares at the males of the group with a stern look and shouts out, "And don't you dare peek!"

Taichi says, annoyed, "Hey!"

Junpier tells Usagi, "Hey, come on!"

Usagi says, nervously, "I…I'll change back down the stairs." Usagi then runs off back into the entranceway of the floor from the third floor boss chamber and disappears out of sight.

Miyako says, a bit nervously, "Okay…" Junpier and Miyako then shrug as they 'escort' Asuna out of sight as they prepare to change into their swimsuits.

Taichi says, with a grin, "Well, we had better do the same."

Takeru says, "Right."

Kirito says, "Well, I don't have one."

Yamato says, nervously, "Sorry, bro, but we don't have a spare."

Kirito says, as he walks over to the stairway, "Don't worry. I'll think of something."

Taichi asks, curiously, "Where are you going?"

Kirito says, with a nervous smile, "I need some privacy too." Kirito then runs over to 'hide' in the shadow of the 'outhouse' that serves of the exit of stairway that leads from the third floor boss room to this floor. Taichi, Yamato, Sam, and Takeru look at each other, shrug, and change their avatar's 'clothing/equipment' into what look like men's swim trunks.

As they are doing so, Asuna's voice booms out, "Can you look away as I change?"

Junpier's voice booms out, slyly, "Geez, what's the problem? We're all girls here. So, come on or do I have to do it for you?"

Asuna's voice yelps out, nervously, "You can't do that! I'm the only one that can change my equipment!"

Junpier's voice booms out, slyly, "I don't know. I may not see what's on your menu, but I may have a good idea!"

Miyako's voice booms out, annoyed, "Cut it out, Junpier!"

Takeru says, with a grin, "That's Davis' sister for you."

Taichi says, with a smirk, "You said it, but don't let her hear you."

Yamato says, with a nod, "No joke." Soon after, they hear footsteps where the young men see Usagi, still wearing her classic white hooded cloak, but they can see that her lower legs and feet are bare, causing a round of confused looks from the guys.

Taichi asks, curiously, "Hey, why are you still wearing that?"

Usagi says, nervously, "Well…"

Takeru says, "We know that you want to keep your face a secret, so, nobody will grill others to finding out what you look like and all, but even without anything else on, wouldn't that big cloak be a worry when you get it wet."

Usagi says, "Actually, I found that my cloak came with a few specific quests to upgrade it in which I found and completed a water resistant upgrade quest just a while ago."

The male members of the Digital Knights give looks of shock and Kirito's voice booms, "Really?" Everyone looks to see Kirito, wearing only a pair of red boxers that kind of look like swim trunks, walking into the open and carrying his inner tube.

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yes. My cloak won't absorb water or at least, absorb water as quickly as other leather armor and clothing equipment does."

Yamato says, nodding his head in understanding, "Nice for a rainy day."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Among other things."_ Just then they hear stifled giggle and everyone looks to see Asuna, Miyako, and Junpier coming out with Miyako wearing a violet colored bikini, Junpier wearing a fiery red and pink bikini, and Asuna wearing the one that was provided by Usagi where they find that Asuna looked like she was about to 'explode' with laughter with her hand over her mouth. Asuna then bursts out laughing at Kirito causing plenty of the others to feel confused at why Asuna is laughing at Kirito.

Taichi asks, "What's so funny?"

Usagi says, "That's not nice, Asuna." Junpier and Miyako look like they were holding in their laugher and Kirito turns around to face Asuna in which Usagi and the others can see WHY Asuna is laughing at Kirito.

Takeru says, nervously, "Kirito, I think we know why she is laughing."

Kirito asks, looking at Takeru, "Why?"

Yamato says, "It might have to do with the large flashy golden bull's head printed on the back of your 'trunks'."

Kirito yells out, flabbergasted, "What?!" Kirito tries to look behind him, but he can't see the 'rear end' area of his avatar in which Kirito uses the water as mirror causing Kirito to get an exasperated look at he finds the reason that Asuna was laughing at him.

As Asuna calms down, Taichi asks, "Dude, where did you get those boxers?"

Kirito says, with a sigh, "This is one of the Last Attack bonus from General Baran. I just assumed it was a plain design. I didn't think THAT would be on the ass…"

Sam asks Kirito, "That means that it has an effect doesn't it?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "It gives a good boost to strength with a bit of resistance to debuffs like disease and curses."

Takeru whistles and he says, "Pretty good. It almost makes up for that. Almost."

Kirito says, sarcastically, "Thanks a lot."

Asuna says, "You know, it is dreadful boring that you win all of the LA bonuses, but I'm glad I didn't wind up with that underwear. I don't want to have to choose between wearing a stupid cow-print man's boxers for the bonus effect or not."

Usagi tells Asuna, a bit nervously, "Well, Asuna, you wouldn't get them if you won that LA bonus."

Asuna looks at Usagi and Junpier says, "Yeah, it is the kind of thing that they make sure that the item is 'adapted' based on the gender of the owner. If it was you that won it, it would have been a pair of panties with that stupid cow print on it."

Asuna asks, shocked, "Seriously?!"

Miyako says, with a nod, "I would bet money on it. All those that are involved in these type of games make sure to get the details right. Through it makes me wonder if they have too much time on their hands or something…"

Asuna says, "Now, I'm really glad that I didn't get THAT LA bonus."

Miyako says, with a grin, "I'll bet."

Taichi says, "Anyway, we should get going." Everyone else nods their heads in agreement and they put their inner tubes around their waists with them starting to test the water of the river.

Asuna asks, "Didn't you say that some floors of Aincrad are synced up to the actual season outside?"

Kirito says, "That's what it said in the magazine…"

Usagi says, adding in, "And I heard that they planned to do during visits to Argus that I made beforehand."

Sam says, "However, those were obviously before this situation started."

Asuna says, "Well, at the very least, this floor doesn't seem to be stuck in midwinter. I was thinking it was boring that there wasn't a more seasonal feeling here, but now, I'm glad of it."

Kirito says, "Hang on for a moment while I test it out." Kirito stuck his right leg in the water and once he was sure that current was too strong, he let his body sink in and the inner tube kept his upper body above water.

Miyako says, excitedly, "It works!"

Taichi asks, "Well, what are we waiting for?" Everyone else soon gets into the water and all of them are floating on the water due to the inner tubes.

Asuna says, amazed, "Wow! This takes me back!"

Usagi says, with a nod, "I'll say."

Takeru says, "It would be nicer to swim at a beach."

Junpier says, "Maybe there is a beach here. Based on what Kirito said, this place is WAY different than in the beta."

Asuna says, with a smile, "That would be great! I could make some nicer swimsuits if we find one."

Kirito asks, "That's right. You are working on your Tailoring skill. Could you make me a pair of swim trunks WITHOUT the bull design? I mean, as soon as we get to town?"

Asuna replies, slyly, "Sure, I'll even give you a choice between bear, cat, and frog designs."

Kirito says, nervously, "I'll…think it over."

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"What did Kirito do to Asuna now?"_ The nine players then start to head off with Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi together while the Digital Knights remain together.

Asuna says, "Something feels weird."

Kirito says, "The water pressure and texture feel different, doesn't it? That's why you have to practice before you go swimming without a floatation device. Still, it feels like they've made a lot of improvements since the beta."

Asuna says, "I see. This does require practice. I can tell."

Taichi says, "You'll get used to it."

Sam says, "We had a few quests at the lake on the first floor through this is going to be different."

As they approach the exit, Takeru says, "We're coming to the exit. Let's try to stay together." Immediately, the Digital Knights grab onto each other's tubes to keep themselves together.

Usagi asks, curiously, "Should we do the same?" Usagi and Kirito look at Asuna and she nods her head in which Usagi puts her hand in Kirito's tube and then puts her hand in Asuna's tube with both of them putting a hand inside of Usagi's tube.

Taichi says, "Okay! Here we go!" Soon enough, all of them head off into the river and they are swept off in which they steer themselves into the center of the river.

Junpier says, excitedly, "Oh, wow! This is awesome!"

Kirito says, "It may look different, but the landscape is really a lot like it was in the beta. I even remember that rock over there."

Usagi says, "It must have been really plain. The squirt never really talked about this floor."

Kirito says, "Believe me, back in the beta, there was nothing to talk about on this floor."

Asuna asks, "Why is this place the way that it is now?"

Kirito responds, "Well, if I had to guess about things that I have no way of knowing…"

Usagi tells Kirito, interrupting, "An educated guess, Kirito."

Kirito says, with a nod, "You have a point, Usagi." Kirito clears his avatar's throat and he says, "Anyway, I'm guessing that their water simulation process wasn't quite up to snuff back during the beta."

Usagi asks Kirito, "Was the feeling of water different in the beta?"

Kirito says, with a plain tone, "Actually, I do feel a difference. So, it wouldn't be surprising that this kind of change that they would change this floor to rivers during the months between the start of official game and the beta…"

Asuna says, annoyed, "While it makes sense, it is a boring answer."

Kirito says, nervously, "Sorry." Asuna gives a shrug of his shoulders while Kirito does his best not to look at Asuna due to her current 'equipment'. Kirito then notices that despite getting splashed A LOT, Usagi's cloak hardly looks soaked and he says, "Man! That 'water resistance' enhancement has really made your cloak really hydrophobic."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Hydro-what?"

Asuna responds, "Water repentant, Usagi."

Usagi asks, "If this floor is different than it was in the beta, shouldn't there be other things changed like quests, materials that you can gather, and the enemies that we face?"

Kirito says, realizing what Usagi is implying, "Oh, we're fine. In the beta, there were hardly any monsters along the route from the staircases to the main city of the next floor and besides, the spawn rate of monsters is greatly reduced in thirty minutes after a boss has been beaten…"

Asuna retorts, "Drastically, huh? Well, it has been thirty minutes since we got here."

Kirito says, "Good point. But so far, we haven't seen a single fish much less any monsters. I guess that might mean a really big one gobbled them all up." However, after Kirito says this, everyone fears an irregular 'kerplunk' sound and they look towards the source to see, around ten yards away, a smooth and sleek triangular fin emerging from the water in which they see a color cursor and it is red, indicating an enemy monster.

The nine players become nervous and Takeru asks, "Does anyone know why I'm hearing certain ominous music from the American movie 'Jaws' in my head?"

Yamato says, nervously, "You aren't the only one, bro."

Miyako asks, nervously, "You know, shouldn't we…you know…?"

Kirito says, "Everyone…on the count of three…"

Usagi yells out, "Starting counting!"

Kirito says, nervously, "Okay! One…two…THREE!" Immediately, the two groups of nine players, one group of three and the other group of half-a-dozen, paddle as quickly as they could.

Junpier yells out, "Where are we going?!"

Kirito yells out, "Follow us!" Kirito tells Asuna and Usagi, "Hang on!"

Usagi says, nervously, "We're hanging! We're hanging!" All nine players continue to race along with the Digital Knights following Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna with Kirito steering the three of them along in which Kirito yelps as he spots the same fin just a dozen feet away from them.

Asuna asks, nervously, "What's going on behind us?"

Kirito responds, "Don't look back! Just pushing forward!" They continue on until they are near a small shoreline in which Kirito gives a mighty shout as all nine players raced for shore in which when they touch the sand, all of them tumble onto the shore before they get up on their feet and run for some paces before they turn back to see what's behind them causing them to gain flabbergasted looks on their faces.

Asuna asks, confused and surprised, "Huh?"

Yamato asks, in the same tone as Asuna, "What the heck?!" Beneath the splendid and menacing fin was just a pop-eyed tadpole-like creature just a few inches across and a foot and half long in which said 'fish' was flopping around the same since its fin made it unable to balance properly on shore. Just then they hear a roar of anger and everyone looks to see Junpier, with her mace that she somehow got of her inventory very quickly and equipped on herself, in which she has a dangerous look in her eyes.

Junpier asks, with a dangerous sly smile, "Anyone ready for sushi?" The monster, somehow understanding Junpier or Junpier's intent, ran away and back into the water causing the others to look at Junpier, nervously, before taking one long step backwards from her. Junpier notices this and she asks, annoyed, "What?!"

Usagi says, nervously, "Um…"

Junpier says, "That little guppy had some nerve scaring us like that! I'm just sad that I didn't turn it into paste!"

Miyako says, nervously, "Maybe next time."

Kirito says, "Remind me NEVER to get on her bad side."

Asuna tells Kirito, "No damn kidding." Later on, our group, having their 'original equipment' back on, are walking the hillside leading to the town and when they are in sight of the town, they are greeted by the marvelous sight of a beautiful town in the water with various waterways acting as the streets of the town with stone buildings made of bright white stone in which this made the city look like a city of white chalk in the middle of a square lake.

Miyako says, excitedly, "Oh, wow!"

Asuna says, excitedly, "It is so pretty!"

Junpier says, excitedly, "No joke, girlfriend!"

Kirito says to himself, with a smirk, "I see. This was supposed to be the finished version all along. That explains the door."

Asuna yells out, "Come on, hurry!"

Kirito responds, "Coming!" Soon enough, the group enters the town and they find themselves at a dock that's a good hundred feet long filled with various small boats manned my NPCs.

Asuna says, excitedly, "Look at the gondolas! It's just like Venice!"

Usagi asks Asuna, curiously, "Have you been to Italy, Asuna?" Asuna doesn't reply as the group head over to the gondolas and they find a plague displaying the prices for the gondolas in which Asuna stops at a silvery-white three-seater.

Asuna asks, "How about this one?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Sure."

Taichi says, finding a six person gondola, "We've got this one."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Right. See you at the gate." Soon enough, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi enter the three seater gondola while the Digital Knights take the half-a-dozen person gondola.

The NPC gondolier for the three-seater, looking like the classic gondolier that you see on television and in real-life, asks, "Welcome to Rovia, travelers! Where would you like to go?"

Kirito replies, "Take us to the teleporter plaza, please."

The gondolier responds, with a nod of understanding, "Off we go!" A purple payment window appeared in front of Kirito's eyes and then quickly vanishes as it appeared in which the three-seater gondola heads off with the one holding the Digital Knights followed close behind.

Usagi says, "It is a lot like Venice…at least from what I know. This place is beautiful."

Asuna says, with a smile, "I agree!"

Usagi thinks in her mind, solemnly, _"It would be even more lovely if it wasn't a prison and 'death trap'."_

As they continued on, Kirito asks the NPC gondolier, "Will this boat take us outside of the town as well?"

The NPC responds, "I'm afraid that I can't do that. I only work here, in the town of Rovia."

Kirito then asks, "Would another ship take us out of town?"

The NPC retorts, "Sorry, I can't answer that."

Usagi asks Kirito, "Trying to find us transport out of town?"

Kirito says, "Yeah. Remember, since the whole floor is now rivers, they are the only 'paths' to the other locations on the floor including the entrance to the labyrinth."

Usagi says, "I hope that we don't have to swim through the labyrinth."

Kirito says, "I don't think so…but let's keep our inner tubes at the ready. Just saying."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Right." Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Kirito has a point. If we can't use the boats in town, how are we going to get around the rest of this floor? I really don't want to have to swim again…for reasons other than getting wet. Normally, I wouldn't mind taking a swim, but there are good reasons not to."_

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"We'll open the gate, take a short rest, and then go about collecting information."_ Soon enough, the gondolas arrive at their destination in which our group get off them.

The NPC says, "Safe and sound! Hope to see you again!" Soon after, the gondolas headed off back to the wharf at the entrance of the town.

Miyako says, excitedly, "That was great!"

Junpier says, "Can't wait to go again!"

Asuna says, with a smile, "Same here!" Afterwards, the group open the teleport gate and looked on as a swarm of players came teleporting in which they start to wander around in which Usagi notices a short haired teenage girl with a blacksmith's hammer attached to her waist.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"That's a blacksmith hammer. Is that girl trying to become a blacksmith? After what happened with Nezha, it would be nice to have an actual player blacksmith. We're going to need them since NPC blacksmiths can only do so much."_

Soon enough, the nine players enter a small inn at the outer edge of the plaza and Taichi says, "Thanks for showing us to this nice place."

Kirito says, with a smile, "No problem. I don't why you didn't remain to take in the praise."

Takeru says, with a smile, "We're not in for the praise."

Yamato says, with a nod, "If this was a normal game, sure, but this isn't really a game anymore. We're in it to get everyone out of here."

Taichi says, nodding his head in agreement, "That's right. We're here to get the job done and not to be praised by others."

Sam says, with a nod of his head, "Right. We need to remain focused on what's important."

Kirito and Usagi think in their minds, in unison, _"Why do I get the feeling that they did something like this before?"_

Taichi tells Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna, "Anyway, maybe we should work together for a while."

Asuna says, with a smile, "I don't mind. It would be nice to have some good help." Kirito and Usagi, even through you don't see it under her special hooded cloak keeping her avatar's head/face hidden, give nervous looks.

Yamato tells Kirito, "You know, Kirito, you do know that we don't give a rat's ass about that 'beater' stuff and we know the truth, right?"

Kirito says, nervously, "Well, yeah…"

Taichi tells Kirito, "We already told you that we're not in this for any recognition, but to get the job done. So, we don't care about what everyone else thinks."

Junpier says, with a grin, "And we can take care of ourselves."

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"That's for sure."_

 _ **December 21, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4, Rovia**_

Inside one of the rooms in the inn within Rovia, the main town on the fourth floor of Aincrad, Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito are together within Kirito's room in the inn where they are discussing about 'stuff'.

Usagi says, "What a day."

Asuna says, with a smile, "Yes, it was. However, it was fun to ride the gondolas."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Kirito asks Asuna, curiously and a bit nervously, "Do you like ships?"

Asuna replies, "Not ships as a whole, but I've always wanted to ride in a gondola. I just never thought that dream would come true in Aincrad."

Usagi says, "Life is just full of surprises."

Asuna nods her head in agreement with Usagi and she then asks Kirito, "By the way, there weren't any of these canals and channels in the beta."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Right. It was just a boring, dusty, gray town. I barely remember anything about it."

Usagi says, "My squirt of a brother didn't mention anything about it, so, I think that he would agree with Kirito."

Asuna says, "Then I like this one much more. I know that gondolas don't go out of town, so, we'll probably have to deal with more swimming, but I can deal with it."

Usagi tells Asuna, "Don't be so sure, Asuna."

Asuna asks Usagi, "What do you mean?"

Usagi says, "I doubt that those that worked on this would make it that we would be so…helpless while traveling around all over the place. They would give us a means to fight back. It has to be in the main town here. We just need to find it."

Kirito says, with a nod, "You have a point, Usagi. The more that I think about, the more that I believe that you are right. Since this is the true version of the floor, they would include ways of us to get around and fight against the monsters fairly. Maybe…"

As Kirito goes into thought, Asuna asks, "Maybe what?"

Kirito says, "I think that I may have an idea to find out if the solution that Usagi is in town."

Asuna says, "Well, while you are doing that, I'm going to make a swimsuit."

Kirito asks, curiously, "Really?"

Asuna says, seriously, "Of course. I'm not going to go around in that thing." Asuna tells Usagi, with a kind smile, "While it was helpful and I am appreciative for it, it just isn't me."

Usagi says, with a nod, "I understand."

Asuna says, "And since I've got the Tailoring Skill, I can make my own."

Kirito says, "You have got a point. And I don't have any swimwear of my own. Can I ask you to make me some swim trunks, too? Nice plain ones."

Asuna asks, with a sly smile, "Should I design it with that finned tadpole instead?"

Kirito yelps at that statement and Usagi tells Asuna, "Come on, Asuna, be nice."

Kirito says, "Wait! Hold on!"

Asuna asks, "What is it?"

Kirito says, "You don't have Tailoring in one of your slots anymore, do you? This might come as a shock to you, if you didn't know already, but once you remove a skill from its slot, the proficiency goes down to zero."

Asuna retorts, without batting an eyes, "I might be a beginner, but even I know that. Besides, it pops up that warning when you remove the skill from the slot."

Kirito asks, nervously, "Oh, right. So, you are going to train it up from nothing against?"

Asuna replies, "I might be a hard worker, but I'm not that patient." Asuna then goes through her menu and materializes a small crystal bottle shaped like a nut with a faintly glowing blue liquid inside of the transparent bottle.

Kirito asks, curiously, "What's this?"

Asuna asks, "You didn't see one in the beta?"

Kirito replies, "No. Not that I remember."

Usagi asks, amazed, "You got one too, Asuna?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "You, too, Usagi?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yes."

Kirito asks Usagi, "You know what it is?"

Usagi replies, a bit nervously, "Yes. It is called the Crystal Bottle of Kales'Oh and this bottle allows you to save the proficiency of any skill currently equipped in a skill slot." Kirito doesn't say a word for three seconds before…

"SAY WHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT?!" Kirito screams out as he gives a completely flabbergasted look with his avatar's jaw dropping as low as it can go.

Asuna yells out, with a flinch, "Tune it down, Kirito! You want to wake the whole town?!" On the meanwhile, Asuna fiddles with the items property settings, pulled out the stopper, in which the liquid in the bottle turns into blue light that she absorbs through her avatar's nose in which she breaths out a yellow light that goes back into the bottle where she replaces the stopper.

Usagi asks Asuna, "Which skill is that?"

Asuna replies, 'That's my Sprint Skill."

Usagi says, "You have a Sprint Skill, huh? That's pretty good one to have to make quick attacks and move quickly through areas."

After regaining his senses, Kirito asks, nervously, "If I may ask, where did you get that item?"

Usagi says, "The same way that I got. On the third floor. After the fight with the forest elf when we first met Kizmel. After we arrived at the camp, I took a look in my inventory and there it was. I wanted to talk you about it, but…"

Kirito says, with a nod of his head understanding what Usagi means, "Right."

Asuna asks, curiously, "So, what's the big deal?"

Usagi tells Asuna, "Asuna, it is like having an extra skill slot. We only get new skill slots at certain levels. For example, Kirito has four skills slots right now."

Kirito nods his head in agreement and Asuna responds, "Right. And they are One-Handed Swords, Martial Arts, Search, and Hiding, right?"

Kirito gives a flabbergasted look and Usagi asks, amazed, "Wow! How did you know that?"

Asuna says, with a sly smile, "Being with you, two, for as long as I have, I've gotten a good 'feel' for both of you and Kirito tends to be the one for practicality in this one. And by 'practicality', I mean by combat skills."

Usagi says, with a nod, "You have a point there, Asuna."

Kirito thinks in his mind, nervously, _"Am I that transparent?"_

Usagi says, "Anyway, think about Nezha, for example. If he had this bottle, he wouldn't have had to give up his blacksmithing skill to gain Martial Arts."

Asuna says, nodding her head in understand, "Yeah, you have a good point. And right now, players have limited amount of skill slots and have to make choices on what skills to use, keep, and discard. This bottle that we have is like having an extra skill slot."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's exactly what Usagi is saying, Asuna." Kirito asks Asuna, "Now, I need to know this: Have you told anyone else about it?"

Asuna responds, "No."

Usagi tells Kirito, "Neither have I. I wanted to talk to you about it."

Asuna asks, curiously, "So, what's the big deal? All we have to do is tell Argo and have her release information about it, right?"

Kirito says, nervously, "True. And I'm not saying that we cover up its existence."

Usagi says, "The problem is that bottle must have been from the Forest Elf that we beat when we first met Kizmel, right? That means that bottle is only available from winning that fight and that means that you get only one chance at it unless they added it at another point for either side during this quest…" Usagi then says, "Anyway, the whole situation with those two guilds, the ALS and DKB, on the third floor happened when all of us were on the sixth 'chapter' of that quest."

Asuna says, understanding what Usagi is saying, "Which mean that unless ALS did the quest in the same way that we did and not inform anyone about getting another version of the same bottle that you and I got, they did the 'meeting quest' the way done in the beta like Kirito did."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Bingo. And with the way that Kibaou is, I doubt that he left information about an item remain a secret and really give any of his guild the third degree if they tried."

Usagi and Asuna nod their heads in agreement and Usagi says, "And while we beat the forest elf, it wasn't exactly easy as pie, Asuna. It may be most likely that the original 'auto-defeat' event in the beta might have been modified to have new 'branch' where you can beat the forest elf without triggering the 'event' as long as you defeat him before you reach the half-way point in your health."

Asuna asks, "And if we get this information about the bottles, it might trigger a 'gold rush' effect because these bottles basically give us an extra skill slot, right?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Exactly, Asuna. And sometimes, an extra skill could be the difference between success and failure or in this case…"

Asuna says, finishing Kirito's words, "…Life and death. I get what you are saying. Knowledge that Usagi and I having this could throw off the fragile balance since other players will be focused on us because of these valuable items and if another players does manage to get it, they could become the 'focus' and that may not be a good thing."

Usagi says, "Sorry, Asuna. If this was a normal game, there would be no problem since competition is part of a MMORPG game, but it is all in fun." Usagi says, solemnly, "However, this isn't a game…a 'normal game' anymore."

Asuna tells Usagi, "You don't need to be sorry, Usagi. You are just looking out for me, that's all."

Kirito says, "Anyway, let's take a rest. Let's go the café on the first floor at six o'clock."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Good idea, Kirito."

Asuna says, nodding her head, "I'm okay with that." Soon enough, Asuna and Usagi exit Kirito's room, say their goodnights, and headed off into their own rooms.

( **During that same day** )

Within her own inn room, Junpier is relaxing in her bed.

Junpier says, excitedly, "This is really bliss!" Junpier looks all around her and she gives a big sigh in which she says, lowly, "This would be a blast…if it wasn't all deadly and trapped in here. I doubt that you would have a problem, squirt. From what I know, you would be thriving in here. You've already been through life and death with your friends here. Your friends are really something else. They know what to do and how to take control." Junpier says, with a plain tone, "Well, just moaning isn't going to help things with me. I've got to get stronger to survive, too. I'll show you that I'm just as strong as you are, squirt." Junpier then sets her 'internal alarm' and goes to take a nap.

( **Later that same day** )

In the twilight hours of the day, we are in the teleport gate's plaza where it is filled with players, front-line players looking at wears, tourists, and even romantic looking pairs of players on benches facing the water. In this group, we find Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and the Digital Knights looking through the food carts.

Kirito says, "I see. The main style of food on this floor is fish."

Asuna asks, "Don't like fish?"

Kirito replies, "No, it's not that. It's more that I was hoping for…a few traditional choices. Like boiled fish or sashimi."

Asuna tells Kirito, "You know you're not going to get choices like that in a town like this."

Kirito says, "Good point. I'll have to hold out hope for the tenth floor…"

Usagi asks Kirito, "Why the tenth floor?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "You'll see, Usagi." Kirito asks Asuna and Usagi, "I'll be going for the panini. What about you, two?"

Asuna says, "That will be good to me, too."

Usagi says, "I'll go for the seafood pizza."

Kirito asks, "You want to wait on the bench while I buy them?"

Usagi says, "I'll go with you, Kirito."

Asuna says, plainly, "I'll wait here."

Taichi says, "I'll be going with you. I've got everyone's orders."

Usagi asks, "Need a hand?"

Taichi tells Usagi, "Thanks." Soon enough, Kirito, Usagi, and Taichi go over to the food carts where they get the orders and they used their inventories to store them in which they get back to the others.

Miyako says, excitedly, "Awesome! Thanks!"

Takeru says, with a smile, "I think that we all feel the same way, Miyako." After Kirito hands Asuna her panini, he notices her about to use the trade window to pay him for the meal.

Kirito tells Asuna, "No, it's okay."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Why?"

Kirito replies, a bit nervously, "It is to pay you back…for the swimsuit."

Asuna nodded and take her sandwich in which Usagi thinks in her mind, with a giggle, _"Real smooth, Kirito. Real smooth."_

Just then a familiar female voice says, "Thankee kindly, Kii-boy. I've been hungry." Usagi and plenty of the Digital Knights yelp as they turn to the source of the voice to find SAO's information dealer, Argo, nicknamed 'The Rat', right by Kirito.

Kirito tells Argo, "Your Hiding is as good as ever, but that's my dinner and no, you can't have any!"

Argo says, with a mock pout, "So, you'll buy one for her, but not for me. I see how it is."

Kirito responds, with a flush look on his avatar's face, "What? You heard what I said, that was thanks for her making me an item! It has nothing to do with showing favor on anyone!"

As Argo sat by Asuna, Miyako asks, "Geez, how do you do that?!"

Takeru says, amazed, "Good question."

Argo says, with a grin, "Trade secret…but for the right price…"

Junpier says, nervously, "No thanks!"

Argo says, with a mock pout, "Ah, here I was preparing to give you a discount since you are friends with three of my favorite customers."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Please, Argo, don't…"

Argo says, "Anyway, it is quite an honor to meet the third new guild of Aincrad. The six of you are making waves."

The Digital Knights give looks of surprise and Yamato asks, curiously, "Really?"

Argo says, with a grin, "Standing up to the 'big two' and your incredible leadership on the boss fights on the previous floor are going to catch notice. I might start getting asked about you all the time."

The Digital Knight gain a bit of nervous looks and Kirito tells them, "Guys, don't worry about it. Argo's teasing skill is the best in Aincrad."

Argo says, with a mock pout, "Ah, that was rude, Kii-boy. I though that we have such a meaningful relationship."

Usagi asks Argo, "So, what's up, Argo?"

Kirito says, "For me, Usagi. I asked Argo to gather some information."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Really?"

Argo says, "You got it. In fact, I got it done in three hours since you messaged me, so, I figured that I earned a free meal in addition to my usual fee since I had to hurry…"

Kirito gives a sigh and he asks, "F-Fine. What do you want?"

Argo replies, with a cheeky smile, "Gosh, I could sure go for a nice cheesy pizza." Kirito then zips over to the food cart for the pizza, got one with three times the cheese, and brought it back to Argo really fast.

Kirito says, handing over the pizza, "Sorry about the trouble. Take this as a token of my appreciation."

Argo takes the pizza and she says, with a smile, "Very good, sir."

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a smile, _"As the person that knows her best, you should have known better, Kirito."_

Taichi whispers to his guild, "Man. She really takes her 'Rat' routine seriously."

Yamato whispers with a smirk, "Kind of 'cheesy' to me."

The others glare at Yamato and Takeru whispers to Yamato, "Bad, bro. Bad." Miyako and Junpier shake their heads in disapproval and after eating half of their meal, Argo takes out a scroll of parchment from one of the many pouches at her waist and held it out between her fingers.

Argo tells Kirito, "Normally, I charge you an extra fee for quick service…but I'll go with the normal rate this time as thanks for the pile o' cheese you brought me. That's five hundred col."

Junpier thinks in her mind, _"Meaning the pizza was the extra fee."_ After Kirito gives Argo five hundred Col coin, Argo hands over the scroll and Kirito touches it to cause it to unfurl.

Asuna asks, "What information did you request from her?" Everyone looks over the map to find it to be a map of Rovia with twenty exclamation point markers all over the town.

Sam asks, "Is that all of the quests in town?"

Kirito says, "Yep. I hated to be hard on Argo, since she did all the work, but you could find all of this stuff just by walking around town."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Then why send Argo all over the place so fast?" Usagi says, plainly and realizing something, "You might have seen these quests in the beta, but this floor has changed a good amount from when you played with the other beta testers."

Sam says, with a nod, "No kidding. Kirito said that this floor was a dry old desert canyon in the beta and now, it is a miniature version of Venice, Italy."

Kirito says, nodding his head, "Exactly. The longer I walk around, the more the memories of this place from the beta fade. I wanted to see all of the locations at once and there is something else…"

Usagi asks, curiously, "Something else?"

Kirito then points to a single marker at the northwest corner of the map and Kirito says, with a plain tone, "This one."

Asuna asks, curiously and a bit suspiciously, "What about it?"

Kirito replies, with a smile, "That one wasn't part of the beta."

Plenty of others have their eyes widen, getting what Kirito is implying, and Yamato asks, "You mean…?"

Kirito says, with a smirk, "Yep! This is the spot that's the key to this town…possibly to conquering the entire floor."

Argo tells Kirito, "If you get the intel on the quest, I'll buy it off you." After she was done eating, Argo then 'melted' back into the darkness.

Miyako says, "One of these days, I'm going to want to know how she does that."

Sam tells Miyako, "It is going to cost you a 'pretty Col'."

Miyako says, with a nod, "I'll bet."

Taichi says, "Anyway, let's get going! If this quest will help us get around here, let's get a move on!"

The others nod their heads in agreement and Miyako says, "I hope that this quest won't be in a pain in the butt. If this is a critical quest that give us the ability to give us a better time traveling around other than floating around in our swimsuits and inner tubes, it may or may not be tough, but it might be a major pain."

Junpier says, "I hear you, girlfriend."

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a sigh, _"Something tells me that it is going to be exactly like Miyako-san says that it is."_

 _ **December 21, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4**_

Right now, Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and the Digital Knight are in a lush forest that's southeast of the main town of the fourth floor of Aincrad, Rovia. All of them are taking part of the 'Shipwright of Yore' quest where it involves gather materials to build their own gondolas to an elderly shipwright who can't build any gondolas/boats since the Water Carriers Guild, the 'organization' that controls the gondolas in town, are control of the materials. The elderly shipwright agreed to make them their own personal gondolas if they gather the materials including bear fat from the bear-like monsters of this floor in which he mention the bear king and how his fat would be the best at making the boats in which Asuna sternly decided to go after this 'bear king' for said material.

Usagi tells the Digital Knights, "Thanks for your help."

Takeru says, with a smile, "No problem."

Taichi says, "Even through each of us are working on our own boats, it doesn't mean that we can't work together on this especially after you are going after this 'bear king'."

Yamato says, with a nod, "It sounds pretty bad."

Kirito says, "The 'king of bears' did exist in the beta, but I never fought him back then. However, from what I heard, there were a number of full six-member parties that were scattered by the wraith of that bear."

Usagi says, nervously, "That's pretty bad."

Kirito says, "Well, we are at a higher level than they were in the beta and there are nine of us in which the parties that fought this bear were half-a-dozen in number."

Sam says, "However, not to reign on your 'positive encouragement', but that was the beta and this is now."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Good point."

Just then Miyako says, nervously, "Uh, everyone? I think that I found a sign." Everyone else looks to see Miyako, with a nervous expression, pointing a tree that had four horizontal grooves, claw marks of some kind, up twenty-five feet from the ground.

Sam says, nervously, "That's…not good…"

Usagi asks Sam, curiously and a bit nervously, "What do you mean?"

Sam says, "A bear would have to be twenty-five feet tall to reach that high and no bear, IRL, reaches that high…"

Kirito says, nodding his head and with a bit of a nervous tone, "You're right."

Asuna says, a bit nervously, "That doesn't sound like a bear anymore…" Just then everyone hears a loud 'thud' and everyone looks to see a massive bear-like monster in front of them. Well, this 'bear' that has grey hairs as thick as a needle, two red eyes that gleamed in the dark, fang poking out of its mouth, claws that are like daggers coming out of its paws, its limbs that are thick as longs, and it has animal style horns on its head. From the deep red cursor, the group can see the name 'Magnatherium' as the name of the monster.

Kirito says, nervously, "Yep, that's not a bear."

Junpier yells out, nervously and annoyed, "What was your first clue Sherlock Homes?!" As the Magnatherium gives out an un-bear-like howl goes on its hind legs to show that it is indeed twenty-five feet tall.

As the group draws their weapons, Kirito says, "Stay calm, everyone! It can't be that agile with such a size. Keep a tree between you and it at all times, so, it can't charge you."

Takeru says, with a nod, "Good idea." After drawing their weapons, the group retreats behind a tree.

Taichi says, with a smirk, "These brutes always get stunned if they drive headfirst into stuff like trees. Once it does that, it will be easy to give it a smack." However, a second afterward, they can see red light flickering deep in the Magnatherium's throat can be seen in which Kirito recognizes immediately.

Kirito says, "Oh, crap."

Usagi asks, nervously, "Is that what I think it is?"

Yamato says, "So much for this idea."

Just then Usagi spots something and she yells out, "Into the springs now!" As Kirito grabs Asuna by the waist with his left arm, all of them leap for the small, but deep natural hot springs and at the same moment, Magnatherium unleashes his flame attack causing the surface of the water from the multiple springs to turn red, however, our group, two of them per spring, expect for Usagi, who was in a spring by herself, are under the surface and holding their breaths in which while they don't need to worry about breathing in SAO, this makes sure that they don't trigger the 'drowning effect' that causes them to start to lose HP. After five seconds or so, the flames stopped and our group comes to the surface.

Junpier tells Usagi, "Nice save, girl!"

Miyako says, annoyed, "So much for that idea!"

Taichi asks, annoyed, "How were we supposed to know that it blew flames?"

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Maybe we should have paid Argo to find out if she knew something, but then again, the knowledge would be from the beta and we don't know if it could do this in the beta or not. Especially not Kirito, not that I blame him of course."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah, no kidding. That's so NOT a bear."

Taichi asks, "So, now what?"

Sam says, "It managed to get the drop on us, but we managed to escape without a scratch and now, we know a bit about it. We know that it has a flame attack, but thankfully, we have these springs and they are in this place. The instant that it starts, we can dive in."

Asuna says, with a nod, "At least that's a bit of good news."

The group then gets out of the water and Sam says, "By the looks of it, we also have to be wary of its physical attacks."

Takeru says, with a nod, "No joke! Look at those claws!"

Kirito says, "Yeah, but we should be able to shield ourselves with the trees."

Just then they hear a loud 'booming' sound and Junpier yells out, pointing ahead of her, "Here it comes!" Everyone looks to see that Magnatherium is charging at them and the sight of it, rivaling the Bullbous Brow, the Field Boss of the second floor of Aincrad, make it a terrifying sight.

Taichi says, seriously, "Move now!" Immediately, the group starts to run to the right of the Magnatherium to evade it, but it simply turned and followed. However, the group immediately gets behind a large oak.

Kirito shouts out, "Come on, do your worst!" However, Kirito gains an expression of horror as the Magnatherium turns the wide tree trunk into splinters.

Yamato asks, amazed, "Seriously?!"

Takeru says, "Hold on! It stopped!" The group looks that while the monster wasn't stunned, Magnatherium did stop his attack.

Kirito asks, "Does anyone know any weaknesses of a bear?"

Usagi tells Kirito, "Kirito, remember that's not a bear."

Sam says, "True, but it may have some bear-like qualities. We can't know until we figured it out." Sam says, "Bears have a good sense of smell, so, their noses are sensitive. And they tend to hibernate in winter conditions."

Takeru says, "It is supposed to be winter, now, so, I don't think that this guy is going to go to sleep at any time."

Junpier says, with a nod of her head, "That's for sure."

Usagi says, "Well, I did notice something. Not only with ramming into the tree, but after the fire breath, it did stop for a time before it started attacking us, again." Everyone looks towards Magnatherium and while it isn't stunned, it is staying in place.

Sam says, "Maybe that's its programmed 'habit'. After certain attacks, it has to stop to 'build up' to the next attack."

Miyako says, "That's good to know."

On the meanwhile, Kirito notices something near the Magnatherium and Usagi asks, "What's up, Kirito?"

Kirito says, pointing to what he is looking at, "Part of the tree is still there."

Taichi asks, curiously, "Really?"

When everyone starts looking at what Kirito is pointing at, Takeru says, "Kirito's right."

Sam says, "Then it must be an item we can pick up."

Taichi glances at Kirito and he says, "We're going to need a distraction."

Kirito says, "Leave it to me."

Usagi says, "Not without me, you aren't." Kirito was about to protest, but Usagi says, "Kirito, just don't."

Takeru tells Kirito, "Don't argue with her."

Yamato says, with a nod, "No kidding, bro."

Just then there is a loud roar is heard and Miyako says, nervously, "That overgrown teddy from the netherworld is ready for more!"

Seeing that they don't have time to argue, Kirito says, "Okay, follow me, Usagi!"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Right!" Kirito and Usagi run over to the right of Magnatherium and the monster spun around with agility that belied its massive bulk and stomped after them causing the ground to rumble with every step. Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Why do I get myself into these messes?"_ After the two of them get some distance away, the two of them turn around and go into a defensive stance. Usagi asks Kirito, "Got any ideas?"

Kirito says, "I'm open to suggestions."

Usagi says, nervously, "Great." When the monster is on them, it attacks with its claw in which Kirito uses **Slant** , the 1-hit One-Handed Sword Skill combo, against the attack causing Kirito to get skidded back where he slams into a tree causing Usagi, who leaps over to Kirito, to ask, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Kirito says, "Peachy." Just then Usagi and Kirito then notice that Magnatherium going into a certain position and Kirito says, "Uh oh."

Usagi looks around and she says, "I see a pool of water nearby."

Just then Kirito says, "I've got a better idea! Run towards him!"

Usagi asks, confused, "What?!"

Kirito says, seriously, "Just do it!" Immediately, Usagi and Kirito run towards the enemy and they manage to dodge the fire breath, but just barely as the flames created a tailwind that buffeted their backs. The two of them dived in-between the Magnatherium's massive legs and when they were behind the enemy monster, they turn around in which Kirito says, "Strike now!" Kirito then strikes the tail with a **Sonic Leap** One-Handed Sword Skill combo and after striking home, Kirito shouts out, "Switch!" Usagi then uses her own **Sonic Leap** to strike the tail, but the result is obvious when the enemy monster arches its back at Kirito's blow and the fire attack abruptly stopping as it does so with Magnatherium roaring out with Usagi's blow causing it to take flight away from Usagi and Kirito.

Usagi tells Kirito, annoyed, "Warn me next time!"

Kirito says, nervously, "Sorry." As Magnatherium gets some distance away from Kirito and Usagi and starts to turn around when it has done so, Kirito and Usagi notice that it has lost significant amount of its HP.

Just then Takeru's voice booms out, "Good job!" Kirito and Usagi look to the source of the voice to see the rest of the group coming towards them.

Asuna says, annoyed, "Not a good job. You said that you were running away and now, you are fighting that thing? That's not nice."

Taichi tells Asuna, a bit nervously, "Most likely, he was making sure that it kept its focus on them."

Yamato asks, with a smirk, "And what better way to hitting on its butt?"

Kirito says, nervously, "Yeah, that's right."

Sam says, "Anyway, you discovered that it has a weak spot. When Kirito hit its tail, it stopped its flame attack immediately and it ran off after Usagi's attack. That's a weak spot."

Miyako says, with a smile, "So, Takeru was right to say that it is a good job. They got important information. They did it in a crazy way, but they got important info."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Yes, you're right. Good job, you two."

Kirito replies, "T-Thanks. By the way, what about that log?"

Asuna says, "It is called a Noblewood Core. Sam believes that it is more material for a gondola just like the bear fat."

Usagi says, "Well, gondolas are made of wood."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Right. Most likely, it is like the bear fat."

Asuna asks, plainly, "You mean that there are normal and fancy versions of the wood to make the boat?"

Kirito replies, nodding his head, "Bingo, Asuna. Most likely, the normal type you can get by chopping down any tree with an axe, but to get the 'fancy' one, you need the Lumber skill…normally."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Wait! You mean that Noblewood Core is the 'fancy' type of wood needed for the quest?"

Kirito says, with a grin, "Yep. And they already set up the way for us to get it." Kirito says, pointing to Magnatherium, who is facing our group, "Problem is, we have to play 'dodge him' with that big match over there."

Miyako says, with a groan, "Great."

Usagi says, nervously, "This is the time that I wish that the American icon, Smoky the Bear, was here."

Junpier says, with a nod, "You said it."

Taichi says, "Probably be pissed off knowing a fellow bear or something that looks like a fellow bear is a real fire starter."

Takeru says, with a grin, "Yeah, it would be 'unbearable'."

Everyone else looks at Takeru with an annoyed look and Yamato asks, "And you said my jokes were bad?"

Asuna says, annoyed, "Can we get on with getting the items?"

Kirito says, "R-Right. However, the drops for the cores is probably random with none being the lowest, so, we're going to be doing this for a while. We should take chances to hit him in his tail, now, that we know that it is the weak spot."

Usagi says, plainly, "But let's make sure that we don't get nearly roasted to do so." Kirito rubs his head, nervously, as our group prepares to continue their battle with Magnatherium to get the items to complete the quest to get a personal gondola for this level. Around half-an-hour later on, we can see Miyako collapsing on the ground.

Miyako says, "What a fight!"

Takeru says, "A lot of it involved him hitting those trees where they either gave one to three of those cores or none at all."

Kirito says, "It was a good thing that it didn't have an AOE attack, so, we could surround it in a way where one of us could hit its tail."

Usagi says, "Took a while through."

Miyako says, with a sigh, "Don't remind me." The group looks over the items that they had gotten via their menus.

Asuna says, excitedly, "Oh, wow! I've got four Legendary Bear Fats. There are also some pelts, claws, and…" Asuna then asks, curiously, "What's this? Fire's Bear Palm?"

Kirito says, "I wouldn't materialize that if I were you. It is bound to be disgusting."

Junpier says, with a nod, "Sounds like it. I've got to some bear fats and claws too."

Taichi says, "Same here. I also got the Palm too."

Yamato says, "I've got something call 'Fire-Bear's Horn'."

Kirito says, with a plain tone, "Same here."

Takeru says, with a yawn, "I'm tired."

Sam says, "It's late and we've been fighting a tough enemy. That's not a surprise."

Kirito asks Asuna, "When we get back to town, are you going to report on the quest immediately?"

Asuna says, "Of course I am."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Of course you are."

Taichi says, "Then you, guys, go first. We're heading back to get some rest first and then we'll turn in afterwards."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Are you sure?"

Sam says, "Once you turn in the materials, it doesn't mean that it is going to get made in a snap. It doesn't work that way even in games. Normally, it takes days to weeks for even a boat like this to be made, but most likely, it will take several hours to be completely in this world." Sam says, "We'll go get some sleep and when we wake up in the morning, we'll be the first after you to get our boat."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Okay, thanks."

Miyako says, "No problem."

Kirito says, "Then let's head out." Everyone else nods their heads in agreement and they start to head back to Rovia to rest, for the Digital Knights, or get their personal gondola built, in the case of Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna.

 _ **December 21-22, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4, Rovia**_

Back in Rovia, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are inside of the elderly NPC shipwright's place as he gets up to build the three-seater gondola that they ordered and between the three of them, they had enough items, in the form of Legendary Bear Fats, Noblewood Cores, Fire-Bear Claws, for nails, and Fire-Bear Pelts, for upholstering the seats, in which the NPC shipwright goes into a room filled with various work tools that are polished to shine.

The NPC shipwright says, "To think that I'd have a chance to use these again one day."

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"You'll probably have a flood of orders by tomorrow."_

The NPC shipwright puts a massive scroll on a table and he says, "Tell me how you want your boat built." The quest log updated and brought a violet window in front of their eyes to show a gondola design dialog with Kirito's, Asuna's, and Usagi's names on it in which Kirito believes that the quest gives ownership to the entire party.

Asuna says, amazed, "Wow. We get to decide its shape, color, name, and everything!" She reached out with a finger to explore options and Kirito moves to make room for her, but the window followed me.

Usagi says, "I guess this quest has it where the detail choices are made to the leader of the party. You should change the leader position in the party to Asuna."

Kirito says, nodding his head in agreement, "You got it." When Kirito uses the party menu to do so, the window then goes over to Asuna in which Usagi and Kirito look over her in which they decide where it took to one o'clock the following day, December 22, to get the details finalized.

Asuna asks, "Lastly, let's give our boa a name?"

Kirito asks, nervously, "A name, huh?"

Usagi asks, curiously, "Why not Tilnel after Kizmel's sister?"

Asuna says, excitedly, "That's a great idea, Usagi-chan!"

Kirito says, with a shrug, "Okay." After Asuna is done typing in the name and asking if it was right, Usagi and Kirito confirm this in which Usagi notice something.

Asuna says, "Okay, let's push the finalize button together."

Usagi says, curiously, "Hold on a second!"

Asuna looks at Usagi and she asks, "What's up?" Usagi then points to the drop-down titled Optional Equipment and Asuna says, "Oh, that. Well, it didn't have any options on it."

Kirito asks, getting a 'feeling', "May I check just in case?"

Asuna says, with a shrug, "Go right ahead." After reverting back to the leader of the party, Kirito looks at the menu and he sees something on the Optional Equipment.

Kirito says, "I found something." Asuna and Usagi look with Kirito at the small window to find that the Fire-Bear's Horn was in it.

Asuna asks, curiously, "Horn! Like the kind of horn that old galleys used to feature? Why would a gondola need something like that?"

Kirito says, "I don't know that you would need it yet. Especially since it seems like the options don't show up unless you have the necessary items already…"

Usagi then asks the NPC shipwright, "Romolo-san, sir, will we need this horn?"

The NPC shipwright, whose name was Romolo, responds, "You won't need it if you're going to ride around Rovia, but if you row out there, you might need it eventually."

Kirito asks, "Meaning we might need to fight monsters with the boat?"

Romolo responds, "Perhaps you will…perhaps you won't. At any rate, this is your ship. It's your decision whether to attach the horn or not."

As Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi look at each other, Kirito asks, nervously, "So…?"

Usagi says, "Maybe we should." When Kirito and Asuna look at Usagi, she says, "There are plenty of RPG that have monster attacks on rivers, ponds, lakes, and seas where the players are on some kind of boat or ship. They have to fight them on the ship, fight them off the ship, or both. They also have to fight other ships and boats too. However, in a lot of those games, they had plenty of long range attack options."

Kirito says, "Like magic attacks."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Bingo, Kirito. However, this is SAO and there aren't long range weapons other than Throwing Knives with something like that chakram that you gave to Nezha being the strongest throwing weapon so far. There might be stronger throwing weapons, but they won't be at the level of something like a bow and arrow like in other RPG. There is also the fact that all the 'pathways' of this floor are waterways, so, water-based combat is going to be a thing and we can't be sure that enemies are going to leap out of the water to attack us, attack the boat, or both."

Kirito says, "And if that's the case, the best way to fight on the boat is with spears due to their long reach. Fighting water enemies leaping out of the water with swords and other short range weapons isn't the way to go."

Usagi says, with a nod, "If we have the option to make the boat into a weapon, I think that we should do it since we already at a disadvantage in fighting on water on a boat."

Asuna says, nodding her head in understand, "You have a point, Usagi. While it was only that little…guppy that nearly attacked us, we may not be so lucky outside of town."

Kirito says, "Plus, it will be most likely put underneath the waterline, so, we won't have to look at it most of the time." Soon after, Kirito uses the menu to attach the horn and all three of them push the 'finish' button in which the window vanishes with Romolo drawing a three-dimensional model of the ship added the word 'Tilnel' on top in black ink.

Romolo says, "Now, I will retreat to my workshop. Be patient and I will inform you when I'm done with my work." After rolling up the parchment into a scroll, the elderly NPC craftsman disappeared into the tool room in which the door shut and a very heavy vibration ran through the floor.

Kirito yawns and says, "Man, this has been a long day."

Usagi says, with a nod, "No joke, Kirito."

Asuna asks, "So, you think that Sam was right about this?"

Kirito says, "Yeah, I believe that Sam is right on the money on the time that it will take for him to complete our boat. I think that Usagi and I are thinking the same thing."

Usagi says, "I have to agree with Kirito."

Asuna says, "Well, you are the expert gamers around here."

Usagi says, nervously, "I wouldn't want to admit to that…"

Asuna says, "Anyway, we should go back to the inn and hope that three hours is right."

Kirito says, nervously, "That's the thing. I thought about it and if we leave this house, it might treat ship transaction as its own new quest…"

Asuna asks, curiously, "Meaning that if we find out it's ready and race over and another party's already in progress with their own quest, we'll just have to wait outside until they're done."

Usagi says, "Well, that's a possibly. There are plenty of those kind of 'public areas' like in fact that house that you can start the quest to get the Anneal Blade on the first floor. If a player is in the house with part of the quest in progress, the inside of the house is 'locked' and another player can't get in until the player inside is done with that certain part of the quest."

Kirito says, "Taichi and the other Digital Knights are the only other one doing this quest right now and if we leave before the boat is done and they come in, not knowing that we haven't picked up our boat, we are going to have to wait for them and it could cause a bit of…unease between us…through it won't be their fault…"

Asuna says, with a sigh, "Okay, I get it. Let's wait here until he is finished."

Usagi asks Asuna, "Are you sure?"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Yep."

Usagi says, starting to leave, "Well, I don't think that all of us need to be here, so…"

Asuna says, with a glare, "Usagi…" Usagi yelps and when Usagi looks at Asuna, she says, "You are tired and you need rest."

Usagi says, nervously, "I'll be fine…"

Asuna says, sternly with a stern glare, "Usagi…sleep!"

Usagi gives an 'eep' and she says, nervously, "Yes, ma'am!" In a flash, Usagi goes through her menu, gets out a sleeping bag, and ducks inside causing Kirito to give a shocked look in which he steps back away from Asuna.

Asuna asks, upon seeing that, "What?" Kirito just laughs nervously and rubs his head.

( **Hours later** )

Several hours later, we find Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna inside of the storeroom that Romolo went into and after Kirito pushed a level, the whole room started to descend down to show that it is an elevator of sorts. After twenty seconds, the rumbling stopped and the three of them go through the door in which they enter another room where Asuna marvels at how the room is made of solid stone with massive work platforms, wooden hoists, various stacks of large-scalp ship materials with plenty of room to spare, and most of all, there is a dock in the center of the room that's a channel above five yards wide with clear water that passed across the room and to a massive door on one side. Romolo was standing at the side of the dock with his hands on his hips with a three-seater gondola that glitter under the workshop's countless lamps.

The gondola looks to be over thirty feet long and five to six feet wide, the body was painted a gleaming ivory white, the sides and prow were a deep forest green, the three leather seats and rest of the interior were calm shades of brown, and the horn affixed beneath the prow in which it was barely visible through the water. It also has the name 'Tilnel' on the side.

Usagi says, amazed, "Oh, wow!"

Asuna says, "Thank you very much for this fine boat, Romolo-san."

The elderly NPC shipwright responds, "It's been a long time since I was this satisfied with a vessel." However, he huffs and he says, sternly, "However, after driving this poor senior citizen into his workshop, you'd better not let her skin."

Asuna responds, "We're not going to! We went through heck to gather the supplies to create this boat! We'll treat her well, Grandpa! Thank you!"

Romolo says, "In that case, the ship is now yours. I'll open the gate for you and then you can row it wherever you like."

Asuna replies, excitedly, "Yes, sir!"

Kirito then notices that there is no NPC gondolier and he asks, curiously, "Romolo-san, where's the boatman?"

Asuna, who is sitting in their new gondola, tells Kirito, "Kirito, the person who rows a gondola is called a gondolier."

Romolo says, raising his eyebrow, "Boatman? There is no boatman."

Kirito asks, surprised, "There's not?"

Usagi tells Kirito, nervously, "Kirito, since this is a boat made for us, I think that WE have to row it."

Romolo says, with a nod, "Exactly, young lady."

Kirito gives a look of shock and Asuna says, "So that's how it works. Well, let's get going Kirito. Usagi, sit by me." Kirito sighs as he gets into the gondolier's position and reads the 'manual', another menu for the operation of the craft in the game, while Usagi sits down in another of the passenger seats in the gondola in which she gives a shrug that says 'sorry'. When Kirito feels that he is confident that he can operate the craft, he gives a nod to Romolo.

Romolo then says, "I'm opening the gate!" Romolo then pulls a level and a set of double doors that are facing the dock opens up in which the pale light of the impending dawn and a roil of pure white mist roll into the workshop.

Kirito says, "Here goes then! Asuna, you and Usagi hang on tight! Now, launching the Tilnel!" Kirito moves the oar forward and moves the gondola in which after a bit of a shaky start, they head out into the waterways of Rovia.

Asuna says, excitedly, "This feels great! Let's just head straight out of town!"

Usagi tells Asuna, "Hold on, Asuna! We're working with the Digital Knights and they haven't gotten their gondola yet!"

Asuna says, realizing, "Oh, yeah!"

Kirito says, "Plus, I would like to get some practice in the safety of town. We promised Romolo-san that we wouldn't break it."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Good point. After that shaky start, I think that practice would be good."

Kirito says, annoyed, "Hey!"

Asuna says, "Well, come on, take us, two young ladies, on a tour of the canals."

Kirito says, with a sigh, "Yes, ma'am!"

Usagi tells Kirito, with a grin, "Don't you mean 'aye-aye, sir' since she seems to be the captain of this craft." Asuna gives a surprised look while Kirito gives an annoyed smirk, but then quickly had to turn to make sure that they were in the right 'lane of traffic' to avoid hitting a large gondola piloted by NPC by just inches.

The NPC yells out, nastily, "Watch it, clown!"

Kirito gives a nervous look and Asuna says, annoyed, "He doesn't have to shout just because his boat was bigger."

Usagi says, nervously, "Well, we were in the 'wrong lane'."

Kirito gives a brief annoyed look at Usagi and he says, with a sigh, "Usagi has a point. They are probably just programmed to react like that if the gondolas get too close for comfort." Usagi gives a look that says 'I'm sorry' through Kirito can't see it due to her special cloak hiding her face and Usagi goes through her menu. But just then another gondola, around the size of their gondola, came racing by to pass us on the left.

The NPC on that gondola shouts out, nastily, "Out of the way! Don't hog the canals!"

Asuna yells out, angrily, "What was that for?! Chase him, Kirito! I want to give him a piece of my mind!"

Kirito says, nervously, "I can't! I won't be able to make the turn if I go that fast."

As Kirito then goes into deep thought on why the NPC are reacting that way, Usagi calls out to Kirito and Asuna, "Um, Kirito…Asuna…?" Asuna and Kirito look to see Usagi has her menu up through they can't see details since it isn't in visible mode.

Kirito asks Usagi, "What's up, Usagi?"

Usagi says, "Check your quest log. I don't think the quest is over yet." Immediately, Asuna and Kirito open their menus to check their quest logs in which there is a new update that says: 'The boats from the Water Carriers Guild are acting strange. Talk to the old craftsman again."

Asuna asks, curiously, "What does this mean?"

Kirito says, "It means that we have talk to Gramps again! Hang on!" Soon enough, Kirito slows and stops their gondola in which they turn it around to head back.

( **Later on** )

Around half-an-hour later, the Tilnel with its three 'owners' are back in the waterways of Rovia and they look in deep thought.

Asuna says, "His story didn't make sense…"

Usagi says, "True, but it means that this quest is still going…"

Usagi gives a yawn and Asuna says, "I guess that we are still tired after getting what we need to make Tilnel, here. And Gramps said that they will leave around nightfall. We have plenty of time to rest up."

Usagi asks, "What about the Digital Knights?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "I'm sure that we will meet up with them later today. They are getting a full night of sleep and it is going to take several hours for them to get their gondola. Not sure if it will take longer since it will be enough for their larger group…"

Asuna says, with a smile, "Yeah, you're right." Soon enough, Kirito docks the Tilnel in the western docks and Asuna asks, "Hey, can't we put the Tilnel in our inventory somehow? Do we have to leave it behind?"

Usagi says, "That's not how it usually works with boats in games, Asuna."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's right. According to the manual, we can fix the boat in place by dropping an anchor or trying it to a bitt on the dock. Once its affixed only the owner can unlock the ship, it says…so, I don't think we'll need to worry about it being stolen…"

Asuna says, annoyed tone in her voice, "I was hoping for a more confident answer." Asuna picks up a coiled rope sitting in front of the gondola and asks, "Is this it?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yep."

Asuna then points a fat, rounded post at the side of the pier and she asks, "And is that the bitt?"

Usagi says, with a smile, "Yeah. I've seen them before. That's it, Asuna." Asuna nods her head, leaps over to the pier, and places the rope noose over the post. A game message appeared and let them know that the Tilnel had been fixed.

Kirito and Usagi leap off the gondola and Kirito says, "There we go. It has been fixed." Asuna gives a nod of her head and Usagi gives a yawn.

Asuna says, with a nod of understanding, "I think that it is time to call a night."

Kirito asks, "What time should we meet up?"

Asuna says, "I think that eleven would be good."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Roger that."

Usagi says, nodding her head, "Right." Soon enough, the three of them headed for the inn to get their rooms and turn in for some sleep for a while.

 _ **December 22, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4, Rovia**_

Later the same day, we find Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito at the food carts and trying to figure out what to eat until Asuna notices something.

Asuna asks, "What is it?"

Kirito responds, "Well, I was eyeing the fried fish meal…"

Asuna tells Kirito, interrupting, "No, I mean THAT." Asuna then grabs Kirito's head to turn it eighty degrees to his right in which when Usagi looks in that direction, they see more than a few players running straight through the square to the west.

Just then a familiar male voice says, "Hey, you three." The three of them look towards the source of the voice to find the Digital Knights walking over with concerned looks on their faces.

Usagi asks, curiously, "Um, hi?"

Miyako asks, "Quick question: Did you park your new gondola at the western docks around here?"

Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito look at each other and think in their minds at the same time, _"Oh, crap!"_ Immediately, all nine players head over to the docks where they find that around fifty players are assembled near the mooring for Tilnel, Usagi's, Asuna's, and Kirito's personal gondola for the floor, with two groups of half-a-dozen players facing off at the start of the pier. One group was in blue doublets, the 'uniform' for the Dragon Knights Brigade, one of the three frontline guilds of Aincrad, and the other had 'uniforms' of moss green, meaning members of the Aincrad Liberation Squad in which they can see that the group of the Dragon Knights Brigade is being led none other than its 'supreme leader' and founder, Lind, and the group from the ALS is being led by head and founder of the ALS, Kibaou.

Kibaou yells out, "You still don't get how things work around here, do you? Listen, we found this ship first and that means that we got the right to investigate it first!"

Lind responds, strongly, "You claim you found it first, but as the man in charge over there, you arrived two minutes later than I did! We're already started our investigation! Why don't you save your baseless complaints for another time?!"

Kibaou shouts out, angrily, "Baseless complaints?! No, you stuff that nonsense logic up yer ass! You don't get the right ta act all high-and-mighty when it was you who shoved my guard out of the way!"

Lind retorts, strongly, "We're inside of the town. You know full well there's no way we could have forced your man to move. These excuses are laughable!"

As the two of them continue their argument, Usagi asks, curiously, "Now what?"

Taichi says, with a sigh, "We'll handle this. Get your boat out of here."

Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito and Asuna asks, curiously, "Really?"

Miyako says, annoyed, "These jerks are getting my nerves! They are supposed to be inspiring other players and giving them hope to get out of here one day? Give me a break!"

Junpier says, with a nod, "Seriously!"

Taichi tells Usagi, Kirito, and Asuna, "Move at our signal."

Usagi asks, "What signal?"

Taichi replies, with a smirk, "You'll know." Taichi then motions for them to stay out of sight while the Digital Knights move themselves into a certain position on the pier in which Sam is doing something with his menu.

Yamato yells out, "Hey!" Immediately, the DBK and ALS players look directly at the Digital Knights.

Kibaou says, annoyed, "Not you again!"

Takeru says, with a smirk, "Nice to see you too!"

Kibaou says, annoyed, "We don't have time for you, guys, right now!"

Miyako retorts, with a sly grin, "Oh, you don't want to know who that belongs to? I guess that we'll take our intel and leave! See you later!"

The DKB and ALS go up to the wharf from the dock for the Tilnel and Lind yells out, "Hold on!"

Kibaou shouts out, "Hold it right there!"

Taichi shouts out, "Now!" DKB and ALS, especially their leaders, give confused look, but then Usagi, Asuna, and Kirito race onto the boat and Asuna pulls off the mooring rope in which Kirito started to row away from the peer as fast as he could.

Kibaou yells out, "Hey!"

Just then a whistle is heard and both guilds looks at the Digital Knights in which Miyako says, pointing to Sam, who is holding two scrolls, "It is a ship building quest known as the Shipwright of Yore, the location is on these scrolls, and after you gather the materials for the NPC at the center of this quest, it will take several hours for the boat to be finished in which, as long as you stay and wait until it is done, no other party can get the building! Better move!"

Immediately, Kibaou runs over, takes one of the scrolls, and he yells out, "Give me that!" Kibaou shouts out to his ALS members, "Move it, Liberation Squad!" Immediately, Kibaou and his group take off to get to the NPC shipwright in which Lind runs over and snatches the other scroll.

Lind yells out towards Kibaou, "Oh no, you don't!" Lind then hastily bows in front of the Digital Knights and he says, hastily, "Your help is much appreciated. Thank you." Soon after, Lind and his group races off after Kibaou and his group in which they leave the Digital Knights, who look at each other, and have a good chuckle at the expensive of the other two guilds.

Taichi says, bringing up his menu, "I'll instant message them and ask where they want to meet."

Yamato says, with a grin, "Good idea."

( **Sometime later on** )

In a restaurant at the southeastern part of Rovia, we find Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and the Digital Knights discussing something in which we find Asuna, now, has a steel breastplate instead of a bronze one, her leather skirt is now plated leather, and her gloves and boots, now, have metal studs, but they were smooth and rounded and not spiked.

Miyako, who is sporting her own new set of studded armor pieces in her 'outfit', says, excitedly, "You look awesome, girlfriend!"

Asuna says, with a smile, "You, too."

Junpier, who has also upgraded her armor, says, with a smile, "You are going to need it for the battles ahead."

Asuna says, "I know. I always felt that getting armor is like giving in and becoming a true resident of this world."

Miyako tells Asuna, "Geez, you don't have to be so deep. Just think of them as tools. Tools that you need to get back home. To people that you love and all that you consider precious there."

Asuna becomes a bit nervous at Miyako's last sentience, but she doesn't show it and Asuna says, with a smile, "Yeah, you're right."

Takeru says, "In our book, giving into this world means giving up on not adventuring to beat this 'death game' and get out of here. In our way of thinking, that's what it means to truly 'give into this world'."

Sam says, with a nod, "I agree with Takeru. Giving in means giving up and you haven't given up."

On the meanwhile, Kirito asks Taichi, "You didn't get the same message that we did?"

Taichi says, shaking his head, "Nope. In our quest log, it was quest complete and we got our experience through we didn't get any items."

Usagi says, "Probably the 'reward' is your new gondola."

Taichi says, with a nod, "We figured that, but we haven't gotten any update that the quest is going on."

Kirito thinks in his mind, _"How could the quest be different from Taichi and the Digital Knights when all of us did the same quest? We did it as two different parties, yes, but it shouldn't be so different. Is it possible that this is there is another 'branch' to this quest and Asuna, Usagi, and I triggered that 'branch'? But how? All of us did the same things and we gave the same materials to Romolo-san, so, it doesn't make sense…"_

Usagi asks, "So, you used your horn too?"

Sam says, with a nod, "We figured that since we'll be in water battles on this floor and that the horn was available to be used, we figured that like in plenty of RPG games, the boat had a set durability and since there aren't the usual ways to fight 'sea battles' here, with magic or strong long range weapons, we figured that having a weapon on our gondola to make our boat a weapon too is a good idea."

Kirito says, with a nod, "We found that out. Our boats have a set durability rating and when it goes, we are in the drink, but while it is a moored, the durability is protected, so, we don't have to worry about anyone sneaking up and busting it while we aren't watching it."

Yamato says, "The real problem is avoiding obstacles and more likely, it is battles with monsters in which, most likely, they can and will attack the boat to sink it or send us into the water."

Sam says, "Which is why the horn is a good thing to have."

Miyako says, nodding her head in agreement, "No joke."

Takeru asks, "So, what will you do now?"

Usagi says, "I guess that we will continue on with our version of the quest. Maybe we'll figure it out why ours is continuing and yours isn't."

Junpier asks, curiously, "Need a hand?"

Asuna looks at Kirito and Asuna responds, "We'll be fine. No insult to you, but this is like a stealth mission and the more people that we have, the more chances that we could get caught."

Sam says, with a nod, "That's a good point."

Usagi says, nodding her head, "I agree."

Miyako asks, "Are you sure?"

Taichi says, with a smile, "They'll be okay. They aren't among the best of the best for nothing."

Kirito says, with a nervous smile, "I wish that you wouldn't say that." Plenty of the others can't help to giggle at this and they continue on their discussion for the moment, but Kirito can't help to be in deep thought about quite a few things.

 _ **December 23, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4**_

Outside of Rovia, fifteen minutes pass midnight on the twenty-third of December, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi are on their gondola, Tilnel, as inside of a dungeon outside of Rovia where they followed the huge gondola-like craft mentioned by Romolo, piloted by four NPC, and with ten wooden boxes covered by a sheet. The three of them stealthy followed them into the dungeon and have been maneuvering through the dungeon for about six hours.

Asuna says, pointing to an area, "Oh, there is a door to the right." Kirito and Usagi saw a small landing with a metal door set into the wall with Asuna saying in frustration, "Though it figures to be yet another dead end."

Usagi says, nervously, "Well, RPG games aren't just about fighting and leveling up. There is a lot of puzzle solving involved."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "I know. But I think that the 'puzzle solving' that's put in here will want you to tear out your hair."

Usagi says, with a nervous smile, "Yeah, I know that feeling."

Kirito says, "And there are usually a treasure chest at most dead ends."

Asuna says, "Probably more rusted swords and junk."

Kirito tells Asuna, "Never discount rusted gear. Every once in a while, you can take it to a blacksmith for repair and it turns out to be a legendary find."

Usagi says, "You have a point, Kirito, but that's close to SUPER rare if not BEYOND SUPER rare."

Kirito says, nervously, "Point taken, Usagi."

Usagi says, "Besides those 'one-in-a-lifetime' stuff, there are plenty of rusted stuff, when fixed, that can prove useful. And we need every advantage that we can get around here."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I know. I know." Just then Asuna says, seeing something, "Whoa! Hold it!"

Kirito puts the oar upright causing the gondola to come to a steady halt causing him to ask, nervously, "W-What is it?"

Asuna says, "I think there's a big space up ahead. And…I hear a whole lot of voice coming up from there."

Usagi says, "Okay, let's move in slowly."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Right." Kirito then uses the oar to push the boat onward and they then see a large open surface ahead of them in which they find that the open area is a half-circle hall that's one hundred yards across, the curved wall on one side feature at least five to sex tunnel mouths, and another wall opposite of the one that contained these tunnel mouths was flat with a wide staircase in the center that stretched upward connected to a pier that contained the gondola that they were following. Staying silent and hidden, Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna look as the four NPC sailors were unloading the boxes that they were carrying while imposing warriors took the boxes and carried them up the stairs. From what they can see, they were thin, but tall, clad in dark grey leather armor, and wearing eerie masks that covered their faces.

Just then Usagi notices something about them and she whispers as loud as she could WITHOUT tipping off the NPC sailors and the 'warriors', "They're Fallen Elves!" Asuna gives a look of surprise and nods her head in which Usagi looks at Kirito with Kirito just nodding his head allowing Usagi to know that he knows it too. Fallen Elves were the race that served as the foes at the climax of the 'Elf War' campaign quest, which they are still on since it lasts all the way to the NINTH floor, that was part of the third floor.

Asuna asks Kirito, in a whisper, "What happened during the beta test?"

Kirito says, "I don't remember ever running into the Fallen here. In fact, this dungeon didn't exist in the beta."

Asuna asks, "Meaning…this is part of one self-contained quest? Or does it fall under the umbrella of the campaign?"

Kirito says, "Remember, Taichi and the Digital Knight didn't get the update in the logs that we did. It seems like there is a branch to this quest to those that are playing the 'Elf War' campaign."

Usagi asks, "So, you never fought the Fallen Elves in the beta on this floor?"

Kirito says, shaking his head, "Not one bit. I found them on several occasion in the beta, but not here and I never saw them cooperating with human NPCs like this."

Asuna says, "Well, I don't like this. If those sailors are with Rovia's Water Carriers Guild…then the guild itself could be aligned with the Fallen Elves."

Kirito says, "We need to find out what's in those boxes." The three of them continued to watch what was happening and they watched after the boxers were unloaded, a large and imposing masked Fallen, who appeared to be a leader handed a small bag to one of the sailors. The man looked inside to check the contents, then nodded in satisfied manner and motioned for his comrades to leave.

Asuna says, "Well, I know what's in that big."

Usagi says, with a nod of her head, "That's obvious."

Kirito says, "Yep. Cold hard cash. If they're all thousand-Col gold coins…that could be two hundred thousand in all…"

Asuna tells Kirito, annoyed, "Don't you dare think about attacking and robbing them on the way."

Kirito says, nervously, "N-No way! They look really tough anyway."

Usagi says, "Plus, this is a sheath quest. We might get 'penalized' for that."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah, good point." They watched the NPC sailors undid their vessel's mooring rope and with two oarsmen, they start off.

Usagi says, in a serious tone, but not loud enough for anyone else outside of their boat to hear, "Here they come!" Kirito quickly threw their gondola into full-speed reverse and put themselves at the small landing that they were earlier.

Kirito says, seriously, "The rope!" Immediately, Asuna, getting what Kirito wants, gets the mooring rope and throws it to him in which he puts it around a bitt that's on shore. Immediately, they go on the landing and throw open a door in front of them.

Asuna asks, "Does it even matter if we hide in here? Won't they just see the Tilnel outside?"

Kirito says, "Good point, but there's no other escape for us. If they float past without noticing, great, and even if they disembark, they can't destroy the unnamed boat while it's tied up."

Asuna asks, "But what if they come here?"

Kirito says, "Then we'll have to hide…"

Usagi then says, "Hold that thought!" Kirito and Asuna then look to see Usagi running over to the Tilnel with a large silver-grey thin cloth in her hands. Soon after, she puts the large cloth over the Tilnel and the instant that the cloth covered the gondola, it took on the exact same color as the water making it really hard to tell that it is there. Kirito and Asuna are shocked, but Usagi says, seriously and loud enough NOT to be heard by the approaching NPCs, "Inside!" The three of them then slip inside of the storeroom.

Asuna asks, "What was that?"

Usagi says, "It is called 'Argyro's Sheet'. And the description said that it is a cloth made of silk from a rare aquatic spider. This cloth will hide anything that it covers ONLY in a place surrounded by water."

Asuna says, "That's convenient."

Usagi says, "Probably made for those doing this part of the quest. A rare item that you can gain during a quest that's hard, if not impossible, to get anyway else."

Kirito says, with a sly smile, "See? It pays off to explore the nooks and crannies."

Asuna whispers, annoyed, "Shh! Here they come!" Looking through a peephole in the door, the sailors and their craft pass by the Tilnel without seeing it or crashing into it.

After they are gone, the three of them let out a sigh of relief and Asuna says, "I don't like these…what do you call them? Stealth quests."

Usagi and Kirito nod their heads in agreement and Kirito says, "The tension is so much higher in a VRMMO." Kirito tells Usagi, "Good job on finding that cloth, Usagi."

Usagi nods his head and Usagi asks, "So, what's our plan now?" Kirito brings out his menu to check the quest log and he finds that it has a vague command that says: 'Find the secret of the transport ship.'

Kirito says, dismissing his menu, "Looks like we still need to find out what's inside those wooden boxes."

Asuna says, "That means that sneaking up those crawling with those Fallen Elves."

Kirito asks, nodding his head, "The stealth mission continues. If you're tired, we can probably turn back to town and resume tomorrow. What do you think?"

Usagi says, "We can't be sure that things will remain the same tomorrow, Kirito. There could be a time limit or something on this quest."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I'm in agreement with Usagi. Plus, I don't want to fight all of this water monsters again."

Kirito says, "Good point. Let's put in some more good work then." Soon enough, they leave the storeroom and return to the landing in which Kirito checks the Argyro's Sheet in which he finds that the sheet has already lost ten percent of its durability which means that it doesn't last long. Soon after, they head off where Asuna changes from her typical red hooded cloak and cape is replaced by an expensive violet colored one with elaborate woven patterns. A quest reward that she gained during the 'Elf War' quests on the third floor.

( **Later on** )

It is now around two in the morning of the same day where we find Kirito, Asuna, currently in her violet cloak, and Usagi, walking down a long staircase where they find themselves a wide-open warehouse completely unlike the corridors that they have been wandering through after they docked their boat. The backwall featured a large double door guarded on either side by heavily armored Fallen Elf guards, by the standards of Fallen Elves of course. On the sidewalls were careless stacks of wooden boxes.

Once on the ground, the three of them use the stairs to hide and Usagi asks, in a whisper, "There they are, but how are we going to get to them?"

Kirito says, "We'll probably call the attention of the guards if we just walk in there. If we can sneak behind the boxes to the left or right somehow.

Asuna says, "I feel like we could beat them in a fight, but whatever's behind those huge doors worries me. I think I hear something weird from behind them." Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi silently listen and they can bear a faint, but clearly audible sounds of banging and scrapping.

Usagi asks, "Do you think that we can distract the guards?"

Kirito replies, "Maybe." Kirito picks up a stone from the ground and one of the group of boxes. The stone barely hits the corner of one of the boxes, it was enough to catch the attention of the guards. At that moment, they silently rush and hide in the other group of boxes in the room. Kirito whispers, with a sigh of relief, "Whew. Now, let's see what's in this thing." But when Kirito opens the box, it is completely empty causing Asuna, Usagi, and Kirito to look at each other with confused looks.

Asuna whispers, confused, "What does this mean?"

Kirito says, with a shrug and in a whisper, "I have no idea. Maybe they removed the contents of the box." The three of them, silently, check the other boxes, but found that they were empty as well.

Asuna asks, confused and in a whisper, "Why?" Just then all of them hear sound of the giant doors beyond the boxes opening and they hear seven to eight sets of heavy boots flooded into the room.

Usagi says, in a whisper, "Quick! Into the boxes!"

Kirito says, with a nod and in a whisper, "Right!" Usagi then goes into one box while Kirito and Asuna go into another box. Through an open slit, Usagi looks out and sees a number of Fallen Elves, but a burly one with a plain mask covering only the lower half of his face and thick arms with him dressed like craftsman. Usagi sees that his cursor identified him as 'Eddhu: Fallen Elven Foreman'.

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Fallen Elven Foreman, huh? Well, it makes sense since he is dressed like worker and not a warrior."_ Usagi then becomes worried when Eddhu stops near the box that Kirito and Asuna were hiding in.

Eddhu says, "Thanks to today's shipment, we've now got the total we need." Usagi is confused since she, Kirito, and Asuna found that the boxes were empty and then Usagi couldn't help to wonder what Fallen Elves would want from humans.

Just then a male voice that's beautiful and cold as ice says, "Good. Well done." Usagi, peeking through the slit in her box, looks to see a tall and slender man that fits every expectation of an elf. From what she can see, this Fallen Elf had armor that's a melding of leather and metal, with a crimson cope in which he is wearing a mask that had two animal horns and the eyes from under the mask seemed to glow and flicker with red light causing Usagi to become unnerved. The Fallen Elf, the leader of this group of Fallen, says, "But the assembly is taking longer than expected."

Eddhu responds, bowing deeply to this Fallen, "I'm very sorry, Your Excellency. We should be caught up in three days."

The Fallen Elf leader then asks, "Good. Then I may assume that it will be finished entirely in five days as the plan states?" As Usagi looks at his color cursor, she becomes really nervous see that it is so dark that it is nearly black, meaning that his levels was WAY higher than Usagi's level, which mean that he was also higher than Kirito and Asuna, and she spotted that his cursor said: 'N'ltzahh: Fallen Elven General'.

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, _"Oh, boy. This isn't good."_

Eddhu tells the Fallen Elf leader, N'ltzahh, "I will pledge my life to making it happen, General N'ltzahh."

N'ltzahh says, "Very good. Get to work, Eddhu." N'ltzahh then says, "It truly is a farce, isn't it? Eons since we were removed from the blessing of the Holy Tree, yet we are still bound by the taboos of the elven race."

Just then a female voice calls out, "Yes, if not for that nonsensical taboo, we would need to strike this deal with the filthy humans in order to gain these materials."

Usagi thinks in her mind, confused, _"What materials?!"_

N'ltzahh says, "It is not worth complaining about, Kysala. Pay them as much gold as the want. Once we have all of the keys and open the door to the Sanctuary, even the greatest magic left to humankind will vanish without a trace…"

The female voice, the one that N'ltzahh called Kysala, responds, "Of course, Excellency. The moment of our triumph grows ever closer."

N'ltzahh then says, "Indeed. But our initial mission is to recover the first key that special forces commander let slip from our grasp. The plan begins in five days, once all of our preparations are complete. I have great expectations of all of you." From the slit, Usagi can see the soldiers salute N'ltzahh and soon enough, they walk away in which Usagi listens until the footsteps fade away. Usagi then slowly, but surely exits out of the box and into the shadow of the boxes. Shortly afterwards, Asuna and Kirito exit out of their boxes.

Usagi whispers to them, "Did you have any idea what it means?"

Kirito whispers back, "Yeah, but it'll be a long explanation, so, leave this spot first. You never know if they come back."

Asuna says, plainly, "If that happens, we're hiding in a bigger box."

Usagi notices Asuna glaring at Kirito and Usagi whispers, curiously, "Did something happen?"

Kirito whispers back, nervously, "Don't ask." Usagi decides not to push it further and after Kirito uses the same trick to distract the guards, the three of them manage to sneak away undetected and leave the dungeon/cavern.

 _ **December 24, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4**_

At the edge of a large lake just north of the center of the fourth floor of Aincrad, we find a group of gondolas assembled together in which the Tilnel is one of them. They are parked by the six-person gondola of the Digital Knights which is colored orange, blue, and white and sporting its own horn under the waterline like the Tilnel, this gondola, known as 'Imperial', named after none other than the DNA Mega Dragon Digimon, Imperialdramon, as well a four-person gondola that's painted just calming brown color. It belongs to the Japanese born African-American Japanese national, Agil, and his three companions, all of them ax users, known by the nickname 'The Bro Squad'. This four party group of players are a 'neutral faction' between the three main guilds of Aincrad: Aincard Liberation Squad, Dragon Knights Bridge, and finally, said Digital Knights through it doesn't mean that they aren't good 'associates' of the Digital Knights as they are with Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi. Their ship is known as the Pequod in which Asuna told Agil that she had an 'issue' with that due to it being a reference to the story 'Moby Dick'.

Usagi looks up into the sky and she thinks in her mind, _"What are you doing now?"_ Just then Usagi is brought out of her thoughts at the sound of a crashing of a gong in which everyone looks towards the sound looking at the sight of three gondolas, one ten-seater, the largest that Romolo could make, along with two four-seater gondola with their bodies painted blue with white trim in which the gong that was heard was on the largest of the three gondolas. These three gondolas belong to the Dragon Knights Bridge, one of the three guilds of Aincrad.

On board the ten-seater is Lind, leader of the DKB, and he says, "It's time! We're about to begin our battle against the Biceps Archelon, the field boss of the fourth floor! None of us have any experience with a major water battle aboard ships, but there's nothing to gear. As you've seen in fighting ordinary monsters, their attacks are almost entirely absorbed by our ships."

Junpier whispers to her guildmates, "So says the 'big man' in that battlecruiser."

Lind says, continuing his 'speech', "As I explained in our prebattle meeting, the Archelon's attacks are quite simple! As long as we watch out for the direction its two heads are facing, we can avoid taking any charges! We will use this gong to signal the timing of evasion, so please keep an ear out for it."

Miyako whispers, annoyed, "And who was it that got that information? They have some nerve. We, along with Kirito, Asuna, and White Swordsman-san, were the ones that got the information and they stick us of the so-called 'flanks'. They just don't want us to make them look like idiots in which they did a good job of themselves back on the last floor!"

Takeru says, with a kind smile, "We know, Miyako. We feel the same way, but like it or not, we're just one guild and we, all of us on the 'front lines', need to work together."

Taichi says, with a nod, "I've got to agree with Takeru, Miyako. I don't like it as much as you do, but we have to bear it and do our job as the 'leaders' of the 'flankers'."

Asuna says, annoyed, "Which is going to be impossible to do anything since its side are nearly impenetrable. They just want us out of the way."

Yamato says, with a sly smirk, "And once they mess up, all of us are going to go in to save their asses."

Junpier says, with a nod, "That's for sure." However, Kirito and Usagi hoped that didn't have to happen for various reasons.

Lind then yells out, "Let's move out! Take formation when the boss appears! Dragon Knight fleet forward!" The DKB 'mother ship', known as Leviathan, and its two 'escort ships' started to move. Nearby, a group of three six-person gondolas with moss green bodies and dark grey broadsides are nearby with Kibaou on the lead gondola known as the Unleash. This gondola and the other two were the ships of the Aincrad Liberation Squad, another of the three guilds of Aincrad along side the DKB and Digital Knights.

Kibaou shouts out, "Come on, let's get going! All ships at top speed, Liberation Squad!"

As the ALS ships start to move out as well, Taichi says, a bit nervously, "Well…take to move out…everyone else!"

Yamato says, with a nervous tone, "Nice one, fearless leader." Taichi gives an annoyed groan as the rest of the gondolas head out.

( **Sometime afterwards** )

Right now, we find all of them in the large lake battling against Biceps Archelon, the massive water field boss of the fourth floor and it is a huge two-headed turtle, in which it has a bite attack from both heads, a watery smack attack from its side fins, and a charge attack using its entire form.

At this moment, the gong on Leviathan sounds and Lind yells out, "Evade!" Immediately, the gondolas in Biceps' line of attack move out of way and its attack just sprays water and sends waves that rock the lake. By this time, the field boss' HP was half-way depleted.

On Tilnel, Asuna asks, "Hey, what kind of boss was here in the eta?"

Kirito, who is rowing Tilnel, responds, "It was still a turtle, but more like a tortoise. Very tough, but slow and I don't remember us having much trouble."

Usagi says, "Well, it does make sense since tortoises aren't good on land. They are better in water."

Asuna says, "That means that it isn't surprising that since this guy gotten an upgrade since they decided to soak this level in water."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yeah, that's right, Asuna. Like I said, tortoises are better on water than in land." Usagi and Asuna yelp as the Tilnel is thrown off-balance by one of the ALS's gondolas in which one of ALS member says, tauntingly, "Even the great beater and Kayaba's princess aren't going to win the LA today!"

Asuna yells out, annoyed, "What's the big idea? This formation was their idea to begin with! And they have some nerve for that low blow on Usagi!"

Usagi says, with a sigh, "It's okay, Asuna."

Kirito says, "I think that it is going too far, too, Asuna. But give them a piece of your mind after the fight."

Asuna says, sternly, "You damn bet I will!" Asuna then uses **Parallel Sting** , a two-part Rapier Sword Skill combo, against the side, but due to the strength of the sides, the attack barely scratches the field boss' HP. After a while, the HP of the field boss goes into the red in which the Digital Knights and our three player team of Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi on Tilnel move their ships away expecting the boss to change its attack patterns. However, the ships of the DKB and ALS were at the front and still hammering at the boss even harder than before.

Miyako asks, annoyed, "What are those idiots doing?"

Agil yells out, "Everyone get away!" However, they don't listen and Kirito and Usagi then spot a familiar attack animation through Kirito hasn't seen it used by tortoise monsters in SAO before.

Usagi shouts out, "Kirito, it's a spin attack!"

Kirito responds, "I know!" Kirito shouts out, "Watch out! It is going to spin!" But the four boats don't retreat and try to defeat it before it can use its spin attack, but the preparation of the attack is boosting its defense and they won't make it in time.

Taichi shouts out, angrily, "Those idiots!" Taichi tells Kirito, "Kirito, charge! We're using the horns on our boats now!"

As the Digital Knights prepare to charge, Asuna shouts out, "You heard him, Kirito!"

Kirito responds, "Yes, ma'am!" Immediately, both the Imperial and Tilnel charge in and ram their rams into field boss and causing it to stop in which a few white steam vents burst out of its shell before it shatters into hundreds to thousands of data pixels. Soon enough, the word 'Congratulations' sign appears in the sky above the lake in which the players get their experience, loot, and col with Kirito finding that he was the one getting the Last Attack bonus causing him to think, with a sigh, _"Good grief, I did it again."_

Usagi says, with a smile, "Good work, Kirito!"

Asuna says, with a smile, "That was great!"

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Well, it wasn't just me." Usagi and Asuna then turn and wave to the Digital Knights, who wave in turn, but they look at the DKB and ALS, who are giving off peeved looks.

Miyako then screams at them, irritated, "You're welcome for saving your hides!" As members from both the DKB and ALS were about to speak, death glares from both Miyako and Junpier shut them right away.

Junpier screams out, annoyed, "If you don't want us saving your butts, THEN LEARN TO FIGHT SMART ALREADY!" The DKB and ALS flinch from her words while Asuna nods her head in agreement with Junpier in which Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and the Digital Knights wave to Agil and his team in which they give a 'thumbs up' with their hands as Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and their Digital Knights, in their two gondolas, take off away from the lake and follow the waterways to the next town.

As they head down, Takeru says, "That was something."

Yamato says, with a nod, "No kidding, bro."

Sam says, "It isn't surprising that we would have difficulties, here. It isn't exactly easy to fight on water even in a boat."

Takeru says, nodding his head, "Yeah. We either have to swim or move around by boat to get around here."

Usagi says, "It makes me wonder about Argo. Will she be all right out here? Due to that fact, she could be trapped in the main town…"

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, "Ah, you don't have to worry about little old me!" Plenty of the others yelp and they turn to the source of the voice to see none other than Argo the Rat, but she wasn't riding a boat or swimming. She was gliding on the surface of the river like a water strider.

Miyako yells out, flabbergasted, "What the heck?!"

Kirito asks, stunned, "Did you become an apprentice to those doofus ninjas from the Fuma Ninja Force?"

Argo replies, with a sly smile, "Hardly. I found these babies in town." Argo then slides along the water on one leg and raises her right foot where she shows that she is wearing sandals equipped with very light-looking wooden floater paddles.

Sam asks, confused, "Hold on! Is that Mizu gumo?"

Usagi asks, confused, "Mizu-what?"

Sam responds, "Mizu gumo is a device used by ninja to cross water or so says the many legends and myths about ninja. However, it established fact that it is better used in our rice paddies and marshy areas."

Argo says, with a grin, "You know you stuff."

Taichi says, "However, I'm willing to bet that they aren't easy to use."

Argo says, with a nod, "You got it. You got to have a ridiculous amount of agility to equip and you got to lower your weight as much as possible when using them. Tip your balance even the tiniest bit and you'll flip over. No way to fight when using these babies."

Junpier says, "That means that we'll be sticking with our boats, thank you very much."

Argo says, with a grin, "Good idea."

Kirito remarks, seeing Argo seemly in her classic attire, "Doesn't seem like you've given up much of your gear though."

Argo gives a sly smirk and responds, "Is that how it seems to you? Never know, I might be wearing nothing at all under here."

Kirito and the other males of the group, blush, and Kirito asks, nervously, "O-Oh, yeah?"

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Argo, please…"

Argo says, with a grin, "Okay! Okay!"

Usagi asks Argo, "Anyway, would you like to ride with us?"

Argo says, with a grin, "Thank you. I'll take you up on that." Soon enough, Argo leaps onto the boat and starts to have a conversation with Asuna.

Kirito thinks in his mind, annoyed, _"Gramps, you should have told us that a three-seater actually holds four!"_

 _ **December 24, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4, Usco**_

Within Usco, a small town made of a dozen shacks, walkways, and open spaces buoyed by balsa-like logs in which said town is floating in the midst of a crescent-shaped lake, we find Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, Argo, and the Digital Knights at a tropical-themed restaurant.

Kirito says, "Finally, we're halfway done with the fourth floor."

Asuna says, "You say 'finally' as if it hasn't been just three days since we got here."

Usagi tells Asuna, "Can you really blame him, Asuna?"

Yamato says, with a nod, "Believe us, we know how he is feeling. In the situation that we are in, it isn't surprising that days feel more like weeks and months."

Takeru says, nodding his head in agreement, "While that field boss was done in…just thirty minutes or so. It felt like hours to us."

Kirito asks, curiously, "You have…been through something like this before?"

Taichi says, with a nervous smile, "It is a LONG story."

Miyako says, with a nod, "A REALLY LONG story." Kirito and Usagi can't help to feel curious, but they decide not to go into that any further.

Kirito says, plainly, "The DKB and ALS will be here very soon, so we should pick up all quest in the village and start on some of the easier ones…"

Taichi says, "Doubt it, bro. They are heading back to Rovia."

Kirito asks, confused, "They're going back to Rovia? Did they leave some quests behind?"

Plenty of the others look at each other and Junpier says, annoyed, "Why am I not surprised? They really are jerks."

Taichi says, with a nod, "No joke."

Yamato says, "And this is why we decided to stay here and away from them to celebrate Christmas."

Kirito asks, "Christmas?" Just then Kirito thinks about it for a few seconds and he says, "Oh, right. Christmas Eve. This is twenty-fourth of December, Christmas Eve."

Usagi says, with a nod, "That's right, Kirito."

Takeru says, "While it isn't a national holiday, like in many other nations that have Christmas, it has become a popular holiday in Japan especially after World War Two."

Kirito asks, curiously, "So, what does Christmas have to do with those two guilds?"

Asuna says, "They are going to hold a united Christmas send-off party."

Kirito yells out, flabbergasted, "WHAT?!"

Usagi says, surprised, "That's the first that I heard of it."

Taichi says, "Not surprised that you didn't."

Junpier says, with a snort, "Most likely, they felt that 'Kayaba's princess' would cause their whole party to sour." Junpier tells Usagi, "Sorry about that."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Don't worry, I'm used to it."

Asuna looks at Usagi and gives a sigh in which Yamato says, "It is all you can eat and drink and it is a major deal."

Kirito says, "I don't doubt it. It must be the first major player-run public event in Aincrad."

Sam says, "The ALS decided to have their own event first as a way to good use of all of the food items that they gathered up during questing."

Kirito says, nodding his head in understanding, "Good idea. Not only that, but by calling it a Christmas party would attract attention from other players and it would help with their guild's profile and it is also a good recruitment opportunity. Good move."

Asuna asks Kirito, surprised tone in her voice, "Are you complementing them?"

Kirito replies, a bit embarrassed, "Not exactly. I'm just saying that it is a very intelligent move on their part." Kirito asks Taichi, "However, I take it that the DKB realized that right away?"

Taichi says, with a nod, "Yep. And they decided to create their own event. They 'battled' over use of the teleportation square…"

Usagi asks, annoyed, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Miyako says, with a nod, "No joke, girlfriend."

Takeru says, with a smile, "But surprising enough, they made up and decided to hold a joint venture together."

Usagi asks, surprised, "Really?"

Kirito says, "Well, I supposed that I should be happy that they managed to put on an event together, but calling it a 'send-off party' is a bit weird. Isn't that usually when you throw before a big competition or when traveling to somewhere new? It seems backward for the people who are going to labyrinth tower to throw their own send-off party.

Asuna says, with a light smile, "It wasn't like nobody suggested inviting you to the party. You're one of the front-runners, too, Kirito. But some folks in the ALS wondered why they should pay for free food and drinks for the guy who always steals the LA bonuses and they decided that you didn't need an invitation."

Junpier says, with a plain tone, "They have forgotten that he is the one that tends to save their asses like we just did in that last fight."

Kirito says, a bit nervously, "Well, I don't mean to…" Kirito asks, a bit darker in his expression, "And I'm guessing there were plenty of the ALS wanted Usagi out just because of THAT, right?"

Taichi says, "Bingo."

Miyako says, "Yeah, we wanted to knock their lights out too."

Asuna says, "Ditto."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "Please don't…"

Miyako tells Usagi, "Girl, you have got to stop this 'self-blame game' that you are putting yourself through."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Miyako is right. You have got to stop this. I'm sorry that this hurts, but if he truly cared about you, he would have made sure that you couldn't get the game in the first place."

Usagi says, "Yeah…"

Taichi says, with a smile, "Anyway, it's Christmas, so, let's forget about those jerks."

Yamato says, with a smile, "Good idea."

Argo says, "That's good for ya. Anyway, I'm heading back to town."

Usagi asks Argo, "Now, Argo?"

Argo says, "Yep. I was here to gather data on quests and shop selections, of course. I'd like to pop in on the send-off party. Welp, so long, A-chan and Kii-boy! You keep a good eye on our 'White Swordswoman'! And a Merry Christmas to you all!"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Merry Christmas, Argo. Take care."

Kirito says, nervously, "M-Many Christmas."

Taichi tells Kirito, "That's 'Merry Christmas', bro."

Kirito says, nervously, "Right."

Usagi looks up and she thinks in her mind, her mind focused on all of her loved ones, her family, friends, especially the Sailor Scouts, and her beloved, Darien Shields AKA Tuxedo Mask, _"What are you all doing right now? How are you celebrating this day that's supposed to promote peace and goodwill to all people? This day of profound love and unity? How long before we can celebrate this day again? I hope that all of you are well."_

Kirito asks the Digital Knights, "So, none of you are going?"

The Digital Knights shake their heads and Yamato says, "Not one of us are. Their attitudes really put us off."

Taichi tells Kirito, with a smirk, "But while we'll be careful not to 'put off' the player community, we're not going against what we believe in to 'play nice'."

Kirito says, with a smile, "Right." Just then the afternoon light abruptly dimmed and the sparkling blue surface of the lake went into a cloudy. Then a chilly wind from across lake hit the group and a white dot fell from the sky into Kirito's hand where it melt, but then more white dots came down from the sky.

Asuna says, amazed, "N-No way…"

Kirito says, amazed, "It's snow…" Soon enough, the huts had snow on their rooftops and NPC children were racing around.

Miyako says, amazed, "Oh, wow."

Junpier says, "Beautiful…"

Asuna says, annoyed, "Why did it have to do this? Just when we escaped the main city and came here, so I could avoid thinking about Christmas."

Kirito asks, confused, "Huh? You were trying not to think about it? But didn't you say that it might snow on Christmas when were tackling the second-floor labyrinth?"

Asuna replies, in mild embarrassment, "I'm surprised you would remember that. Maybe I did say that, but I'm in no mood to enjoy the holidays given the circumstances."

Takeru says, "Well, you can't be blamed for that, Asuna."

Yamato says, with a nod, "We can agree with that statement, bro."

Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and Kirito then tells Asuna, "Hey, Asuna?"

Asuna asks, "What is it, Kirito?"

Kirito tells Asuna, "It's not something physical, but I think that I have something that I can give you and Usagi for Christmas."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Really?"

Junpier says, with a sly smile, "You know, Christmas Eve, for us in Japan, is a time for couples to get together."

Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, through not seen under her hood, blush from that and Kirito yells out, nervously, "It is nothing like that! Plus, she already has a boyfriend!"

Kirito hastily points to Usagi and Miyako asks, slyly, "Oh, really?" Miyako asks Usagi, "So, the White Swordswoman has her own swordsman, huh?"

Usagi nervously moves her hands and fingers causing Kirito to give rapid shakes of the head in which Sam tells Miyako, nervously, "Miyako, I don't think that's a good thing to bring up."

Miyako gives a confused look and she then yelps as she realizes what Sam is implying in which Miyako says, nervously, "I-I'm sorry!"

Usagi says, kindly, "It's okay, Miyako-san."

Kirito says, nervously while trying to change the subject, "Anyway, the place that I want to take Usagi and Asuna is somewhere ONLY WE can get to."

Asuna gives a confused look, but Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, and Sam get the idea in which Takeru says, with a smile, "We get you. Have fun, you three."

Yamato says, with a grin, "Like we said, we're going to stay here for Christmas before we head off to the labyrinth."

Kirito says, "Catch you later."

Taichi says, "Later, bro." Soon after, Kirito 'escorts' Asuna and Usagi into the Tilnel and with Kirito rowing, they head off out of town.

 _ **December 24, 2022, SAO/Aincrad, Floor 4**_

Outside of town, we find Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi on the Tilnel and they are following the waters in which they are getting closer and closer to the labyrinth tower that contains the main boss for this floor.

Upon seeing this, Asuna asks, concerned, "Wait! You aren't taking us there, are you?"

Kirito says, pointing elsewhere, "Nope. Our destination is over there." Kirito reaches a fork in the waterway in which he takes the one away from the one that leads to the labyrinth tower and they continue on until they reach what looks like a pure white wall at the end of a dimming valley.

Asuna asks, concerned, "Hey, it is a dead end!"

Usagi responds, showing a curious look under her hood and having a curious tone, "I'm not so sure, Asuna."

Asuna asks Usagi, "How can you be so sure, Usagi?"

Kirito tells Asuna, "Don't worry, Usagi is right. It's fog…but not a NORMAL fog." Asuna gives a confused look as the Tilnel goes into the white fog without incident.

Usagi says, in realization, "Oh…!" However, before she could say anymore, the fog clears up to reveal them in a massive circular lake, several times larger than the caldera lake where they, along with the rest of the 'front runners', fought the field boss of the floor. In the middle of the lake, there is a fearsome and grand fortress palace with four towers of differing heights stood over the roof of the building thick with snow, each one waving a triangular shaped flag…the flag with the symbol of the Dark Elves. Usagi asks Kirito, "This is an instant map for us alone."

Kirito says, with a grin, "Yep."

Asuna says, awe-struck, "It's beautiful. More beautiful than any castle that I've seen in real-life."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Yes, I know. But I've seen castles that were even lovelier, however, this castle is quite wonderful in its own way."_ Soon enough, Kirito guilds the Tilnel into an empty space along the dock.

The three of them get off their gondola and Asuna says, with a smile, "Thank you. It is a wonderful present."

Kirito says, "Well, as long as you think so, it was worth rowing across the entire floor to see, but that's only half of the present."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Huh?" Kirito then urges Asuna and Usagi forward and they arrive at a massive gate made of dark and gleaming plate thick metal.

When they get close, the two very large and heavily armed, by elven standards of course, guards cross their halberds together and the right guard says, "Halt!"

The left guard then says, "This place is not for humankind!"

Kirito then displays the sealed scroll from the commander of the Dark Elf camp on the third floor and he says, "My name is Kirito! I request an audience with the master of this castle!" When the guards see the scrolls and the crest that it bears, the guards put their halberds back into 'standing formation' and the massive gate split open in which Kirito nudges Asuna and Usagi forward into the castle grounds. Once in the castle grounds, they are awe-struck by the beauty of the inside of the palace fortress with the castle front garden being like a work of art with the trees, planters, and cast-iron fences frosted with a powdery snow that were glittering by the light of the lamps. Inside of the castle, they found the main hall with red rugs and a marble fountain filled with glittering water.

Usagi asks, amazed, "It is incredible! Was it like this in the beta?"

Kirito responds, "It is close, but I think that this version is quite better than the one that I saw in the beta."

Asuna asks Kirito, "And this is instance map for us since we are doing the 'War Elf' quest of this floor, right?"

Kirito says, "Yep. We're free to laugh, scream, and sing all we want."

Asuna says, a bit embarrassed, "I-I wasn't going to do any of that. Anyway, let's take a look around."

Kirito says, "Sure thing, but I already know our first destination. It is this way." Soon enough, Kirito then 'escorts' Asuna and Usagi to a small door that leads into the center courtyard of the castle. Once in the center courtyard, they find something less dazzling than the front garden, but having its own mysterious and sacred 'flare'. The center courtyard had thorny hedges sporting little black flowers blocked the way left and right like a maze, preventing the three of them from seeing ahead. After going through that maze, they find themselves in a beautiful garden surrounding a stunning conifer with brick flower planters and benches alternated around the tree. And sitting on one of the benches was a familiar female figure, who immediately leaps towards them from her bench to embrace them.

"Kirito! Asuna! Usagi!" the female figure says excitedly. The three of them look on at Kizmel, the female Dark Elf knight, who is wearing long dress of deep violet to cover her form rather than her usual armor, saber, and cape, and NPC that have seemed to gain an advanced AI as well as became their friend in this world back on the third floor of Aincrad.

Kirito tells Kizmel, "Good to see you, again, Kizmel."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yes, it is." Usagi thinks in her mind, looking at Kirito, _"This is what you really wanted to give us. A chance to see Kizmel, again, and spend the holiday with her. Thank you, Kirito. This is a wonderful gift."_ Under her hood, Usagi can't help to give a warm smile as the three of them prepare for their 'holiday reunion' with the Dark Elf knight.

 **To be continued…**

And that's the end for the moment. I know that this is only most of the way through Book 3 of the SAO Progressive series, but this one was getting really long, however, it wasn't the only reason. It is the Christmas season after all and as explained before, it is the reason that I put up the next story of the Progressive series, which is 'crossed over' with my Digital Knight series of stories, in which I wanted to end it on kind of a Christmas theme. And Christmas is a time to spend with friends and loved ones in which Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi have been separated from their loved ones and Kizmel is their friends…Well, you get the idea. I think that the ending is quite profound in my opinion and I hope that you enjoy it too. And Merry Christmas to all of you, folks! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	24. Seeking in the Past and Present

I know that you must be waiting for the second half of what happens to Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi on the fourth floor of Aincrad, but I'm sorry to say that won't happen until later. For this new year, I'm starting a new story. You see, lately, I've been watching YouTube and I've been watching 'playthroughs' of the game 'Sword Art Online: Memory Defrag' where they have a TON of stories and as you might expect, it has given me a TON of inspiration in which this story is a result of that. I hope that you like it, folks, but don't worry, I'll get back to **Progressive** in due time. Now, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization as well as the idea of Darth Revan Sammy Tsukino, the other alternate versions of said character, and the basic plot of this one-shot._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 24: Seeking in the Past and Present**

Note: This story takes place after the events of **World's Song** , but the flashback takes place in the time period between **Hollow Fragment** and **World's Song**.

 _ **November 2025, ALO, Svart Alfheim**_

Inside of the VRMMO game, Alfheim Online also known as ALO for short, we head for Svart Alfheim, a group of floating landmasses that are above 'mainland Alfheim', in which we go to the main player city of this area known as Ryne. Within Ryne, there is a shop/bar run by Agil, a Genome player and SAO survivors, and right now, there are a group of players by the name of Kirito, a Spriggan, Asuna, an Undine, Usagi, another Undine, Dai, a Salamander, Akari, yet another female Undine, and Strea, a female Genome and she is an AI, once part of Mental Health Counseling Program for SAO. Also with them, there is Yui, a Navigation Pixie, an AI that was also part of SAO's Mental Health Counseling Program, Kirito's and Asuna's adoptive AI daughter, and believe it or not, Strea's elder 'sister'. They are together and they hear a bell signing that someone has enter the shop/bar in which they look to see Rain, a female Leprechaun, enter and coming towards them.

Akari says, "Rain!"

Rain says, "Privyet, everyone!"

Asuna says, "Hello, Rain!"

Rain asks, curiously, "It is just all of you?"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yep! Everyone else has something important or they are out on a quest!"

Strea says, "It is just us!"

Rain asks, curiously, "What are you all doing?"

Kirito says, "We really aren't doing much right now."

Yui says, "We are just talking about stuff right now."

Strea says, with a grin, "Yep! We were discussing when all of us first came to ALO!"

Rain says, "Really? I think that I remember that all of you came to ALO a few months after SAO's end."

Usagi says, "That's right. After a lot of us recovered from our physical 'weakness' once we got out of SAO."

Asuna says, "It was hard for all of us."

Dai says, with a nod, "We know. We had to help my sister, Kari-chan's brother, and our friends that were trapped in SAO as long as you were. Kari and I are different because even through we were trapped in a virtual world nearly as long as you guys, we didn't go through rehabilitation like you did."

Kirito says, with a nod of understanding, "Because of the advanced Medicuboids that you were in used special nano-machines to repair your 'damaged' bodies while your minds were trapped in Rainbow Gardens."

Akari says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Rain says, "I still can't believe that there is a 'living virtual world' out there."

Dai says, with a grin, "You know it. Kari-chan and I lived in it for a long while."

Akari says, "It is the reason that we handled SAO so well. We basically 'lived' in a virtual world for a while."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Rain-chan, when you first came to ALO, was it hard to learn how to fly?"

Rain says, with a nod, "Yes, it was. Like you must have done, I had to start with the training controller and even then I was unsteady."

Usagi says, with a sigh, "I know the feeling." Usagi rubs her head as she remembers the 'accident' she had using the training controller for the first time.

Akari asks Rain, "Did you have any help?"

Rain responds, "I mainly learned by myself, but I had help from plenty of helpful Leprechauns."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Did you make any friends?"

Rain says, a bit shyly, "I wasn't into making any friends at the time…for reasons."

Kirito tells Rain, with a smile, "It's okay, Rain. We understand."

Rain asks, curiously, "By the way, what was the first quest that you did in ALO?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "Man! That was an adventure…"

Asuna says, a bit nervously, "That's one way of saying it, Kirito-kun."

Rain gives a confused look and Dai says, "It was shortly after Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, and the others that have been trapped in SAO joined ALO. As you may suspect, the ALO veterans among us including Kari-chan and yours truly were helping 'spread their wings'…"

Flashback; April 14, 2025, ALO, Butterfly Valley

Within Butterfly Valley, we find Silica unsteadily flying through the air with Pina flying beside her.

Silica tells Pina, nervously, "I…I got it, Pina…" However, Silica's wings 'vanish' and she yelps as she falls down causing Pina to show panic on the little blue dragon's face, but the panic on Pina's face changes to relief as Akari catches Silica in her arms.

Akari asks, "Are you okay, Silica?"

Silica says, with a nod, "Thank you."

Akari tells Silica, with a kind smile, "You have got to take it…Well, one 'step' at a time."

Silica says, with a sigh and nod, "Yes." On the meanwhile, we find Kirito and Leafa looking on as Asuna floats/flies around pretty well, but there are times that she stumbles in which Kirito catches her.

Kirito asks Asuna, "Are you okay, Asuna?"

Asuna says, "Y-Yes. It is just a bit…unusual."

Leafa says, with a smile, "I'm not surprised. You just started ALO and you just started voluntarily flight training. Flying without the training controls isn't an easy thing to learn and in fact, plenty of ALO veterans, even those that started in ALO when it first started, still use it. Some get the knack of it and plenty don't, but you are doing quite well for first timers."

Asuna says, with a smile, "Thank you, Leafa, but I don't think that Kirito-kun and I are even close to your level yet."

Kirito says, with a smile, "I don't know, Asuna, I think that I have got it down."

Leafa says, with a nervous smile, "The flying, yeah…but the brakes…not so much." Kirito gives a nervous chuckle and rubs his head as he, Leafa, and Asuna float back down to meet up with the others.

Klein says, with a sigh of relief, "Whew! I get why this is such an 'elite skill' to learn."

Lisbeth says, "No joke, Klein."

Kendo says, "Well, you are working with 'appendages' that you don't have in real life."

Sam says, with a nod, "That's true."

Akari says, "Anyway, you, guys, are doing pretty good."

Philia tells Akari, "Thanks, but we still have a ways to go."

Hana says, with a smile and a nod, "True, but you are doing really great."

Haruka says, with a smile, "While we know that they still have a ways to go with voluntarily flying, I think that it is time to move onto another aspect of 'life' in ALO."

Tomoe asks, "What is that Haruka-papa?"

Haruka says, plainly, "Combat."

Klein asks, "Why do we need to learn about that? Isn't this game based on the same system as SAO? And doesn't it have Sword Skills like SAO now?"

Kirito tells Klein, "Yeah, but there also a lot of other stuff that wasn't part of SAO including the ability to fly, Klein. And that means that there is plenty of aerial combat in ALO."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Bingo, big brother. Remember, ALO is different from SAO since it is a PvP heavy skill-based game instead of level-based. Combat is going to depend on the skills that you have."

Sam says, "And included in those skills is magic."

Klein says, with a nod and nervous tone, "Oh, yeah."

Kirito says, "Plus, Sword Skills may be part of ALO now, but they aren't the same Sword Skills. For one thing, there is the new OSS system."

Taichi says, looking at Leafa, "Leafa gave us a good example of that."

Leafa gives a nervous look and Minako says, with a grin, "Come on, girl! Take a bow!"

Leafa says, annoyed, "Cut it out!"

Akari says, with a smile, "Also, the regular Sword Skills don't give just physical damage anymore. They also have elemental magic damage too."

Silica asks, curiously, "Really?"

Izumi says, with a nod, "That's right, Silica. Different Sword Skill combos give out different elemental magic damage. It has really changed the balance of the game and made it more…Well, 'balanced'."

Kendo says, "Before the newest additions to ALO, magic-users always had an advantage over weapon-users. Even those that used weapons, mostly, had to learn some magic to have any changes. However, with Sword Skills added into the mix, the balance has returned to make weapon-users equal to magic-users especially with the fact that Sword Skills are added with them having elemental magic damaged mixed in with physical damage as well."

Takeru gives a whistle and Yui, who is floating by Kirito, says, "Kendo-san is right. Before Sword Skills were introduced to ALO, magic-user had an advantage over weapon-users since weapons only caused physical damage and monsters with high defense against physical attacks caused weapon users problems as well as players since they can equip armor that protected them from physical damage attacks which made the learning of magic necessary. However, now, with Sword Skills, given elemental magic damage and physical damage, have balanced out the game for weapon-users since now, they don't need to learn magic to inflict elemental damage to their opponents. Plus, in combination with magic, elemental magic and elemental magic enhancement magic, you could perform combos that are beyond what you have done in SAO."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah, I can see that Yui-chan."

Kido says, "I'm still amazed that she is your daughter."

Dai says, "Not surprised. Unless you were with us in SAO at any time, you aren't going to believe that this cute little pixie is their daughter and that she is a free-willed AI or something like our Digimon partners."

Hino says, "Anyway, back to the point, combat is ALO is going to be different than SAO for all sorts of reasons. You have experience in combat in VR due to your time in SAO, but ALO is whole other story."

Kirito says, with a nod, "I agree. Even Sword Skills is different in itself. With the additional of elemental magic damage, we need to know what skill is best for the opponent and situation at hand."

Asuna says, "I agree, Kirito-kun."

Haruka says, "And I think that we should have a review of the basics."

Yui says, nodding her head, "I agree. Reviewing ALO, its backstory, and its 'play maniacs' is a good way to start before going into 'tutorial battles' and quests. Daddy did well only because General Eugene seemed to be a 'weapon-user' style."

Leafa says, with a nod, "But that doesn't mean that he is no joke, Yui. Remember, General Eugene is one of the best players in ALO. He revivals Usagi's friends, who are known as the 'Great Nymphs', the most elite players who are all female players."

Minako says, with a grin, "Of which, you are now a proud member, Leafa-chan."

Leafa says, nervously, "Yeah. Yeah."

Taichi says, "But Yui does bring up a good point. There will be a lot of players using magic and as Sword Skills will be becoming more prevalent, they will be those will be using Sword Skills and magic in very good combinations. We need to learn ALL about ALO to handle this world."

Yamato says, with a nod, "It have some similarities to SAO, since they are using the same system, but basically, this is whole brand new world to us that are SAO survivors."

Miyako says, with a nod, "I'll say."

Usagi asks, curiously, "So, what should we do?"

Mamoru says, "First, I believe we should review ALO and its fairy races as well as basic facts about them."

Hino says, with a nod, "Good idea."

Yui says, "Allow me to introduce this world, everyone. As everyone knows, this is Alfheim Online, called ALO, for short. It is a VRMMO world based on Norse mythology as its central core. This takes place on the continent of Alfheim, land of the fairies, with players being able to choose to belong to one of nine fairy races that exist in Alfheim. All players have the ability to fly which is central to travel in this world. The nine fairy races that exist in this world are the Sylphs, Cait Sith, Salamanders, Undines, Spriggans, Imps, Genomes, Leprechauns, and Pookas."

Michiru says, with a smile, "Very good, Yui-chan."

Yui giggles and Kirito says, "That's our girl."

Asuna nods her head in agreement and Kendo says, "Next, I think that we should revive the fairy races."

Leafa says, nodding her head in agreement, "Same here. I'll go first."

Makoto says, with a smile, "Good idea. Introduce our 'people', Leafa."

Leafa says, with a smile, "Well, Makoto, Haruka, and I, along with others, belong to the Sylphs, the wind fairies. As you may get, we are experts in wind magic, but we also some of the fastest fairies in Alfheim which shouldn't be surprising since you can link wind with speed."

Haruka says, with a grin, "I am a good example of that as the Wind Sailor Scout."

Minako says, with a wide smirk, "Yeah, don't we know it? You know how to make a lot of wind."

Haruka gives a glare at Minako and Leafa says, a bit nervously, "Moving on…" Leafa says, with a smile, "However, there is also another aspect that us, Sylphs, are known for: Our hearing."

Sinon asks, curiously, "Hearing?"

Yui says, "Sylphs have the best hearing of all the fairy races in Alfheim. They can hear things that most others can't."

Leafa says, with a nod, "That's right. We can usually hear danger before it hits us. And usually our opponents in the other races have to usual sheath magic and skills to sneak up on us."

Takeru says, with a nod, "That's handy."

Minako says, excitedly, "Well, you have to take a gander at me, Takeru-kun! I'm a Cait Sith! As the name implies, we are a fairy race that has cat-like characteristics! Namely, cat ears and tails!" Minako says, going into a suggestive pose, "So, what do you think? I don't think that I'm too bad."

Takeru gives a blush and Hino tells Minako, annoyed, "Cut it out!"

Haruka says, annoyed, "Give us a break."

Minako says, annoyed, "Party poopers!" Minako says, with a smile, "Anyway, we, Cait Sith, are the best Beast Tamers in all of Alfheim. That means that we can train a lot of the monsters that live here in Alfheim. It is how we formed our elite Dragoons, who ride dragons!"

There are plenty of stunned looks from the others and Agil asks, "You are kidding me?"

Silica says, shaking her head, "Nope. I noticed them when I first came to Alfheim and came to the Cait Sith homeland for the first time."

Sinon says, with a plain tone, "Same here. There were a number of Cait Sith players that rode dragons."

Klein says, amazed, "Whoa! Awesome!"

Minako says, with a smile, "However, even through Sinon doesn't get her own partner, Cait Sith is good for her too."

Philia asks, curiously, "How so?"

Minako says, with a smile, "It is our eyes. We have the best sight out of all of the races. That's why we have among the best archers in all of ALO. Our eyes can see further than any other fairy race."

Sinon says, "I thought that it was interesting that I saw things that the others did not."

Silica says, looking at her little blue feather dragon partner, Pina, "This is really cool, Pina." Pina gives her classic 'chirps' in reply.

Leafa tells Silica and Sinon, "However, you and Sinon should know about the Cait Sith's one great weakness."

Sinon asks, curiously, "That is…?"

Haruka then says, slyly, "This!" Haruka then grabs the end of Minako's tail, hard, causing her to give a cat-like howl in respond in which she leaps away from Haruka after Haruka let's go of her tail.

Minako hisses at Haruka and she yells out, angrily, "What the heck was that for?!"

Haruka says, slyly, "Demonstration."

As Minako glares daggers at Haruka, Lisbeth asks, surprised, "What the heck? Did she really feel that?"

Makoto says, with a sigh, "Yep."

Mamoru says, "Despite those ears and tail not a usual part of our bodies, so, there should be no signal being sent to our brains. However, through some kind of still unknown mechanism, Cait Sith players do feel something when their ears and tails are 'touched'." Silica and Sinon look at their tails and Mamoru says, "While it isn't extreme painful as it would be to a real cat, it is very uncomfortable."

Leafa says, "Yeah, I have a few Cait Sith friends and they told me that it is because their ears and tails are VERY sensitive." Leafa says, "However, because of that fact, Cait Sith's ears and tails fall under the harassment code."

Haruka says, "One 'bad touch' to the ears or tail and you are going to prison in which the admins might give you 'the boot'."

Sinon says, with a plain tone, "That's good to know."

Miyako says, "Hey, wait! You gave Minako a 'bad touch'…!"

Leafa says, with a plain tone, "The harassment code works with opposite genders only. A male player can't touch a female Cait Sith's ears and tails in a 'bad way' and the opposite is true for female players with a male Cait Sith."

Sinon says, with a nod, "Right."

Sinon glances at Kirito and he thinks, a bit nervously, _"Why is she looking at me?"_

Dai says, with a grin, "Next, it is time for us, the Salamanders. We're the masters of fire and we're also among the strongest fairy race."

Hino says, with a kind smile, "At least in terms of raw physical strength that is. Our people tend to be the most aggressive…especially with our current leader."

Leafa says, "Due to our territories being next to each other and we are in competition, the Sylphs and Salamanders have also been in conflict…especially since they killed the previous leader of the Sylph before our current leader."

There are looks of shock and Makoto says, with a sigh, "That was a really bad day for us and we never forgot it."

Haruka says, "When a race leader is killed by another fairy race, that very same race has the right to 'occupy' the territory of the killed race leader for ten days, take a good chunk from our treasury, and charge taxes of the people for the ten days of the 'occupation'."

The SAO survivors of the group are amazed and Agil says, with a whistle, "That must have been a good chunk of coin."

Makoto says, with a nod, "You said it, Agil. It is the reason that the Salamanders are the most powerful race today."

Izumi says, "And it is the reason that leaders of the fairy races don't leave their territories often unless for official functions. It would be a big blow to our fairy race's prestige and our economy."

Dai says, changing the subject, "Anyway, because of our affinity to fire, we can handle 'hot places' that other people can't. It is the reason that Salamander territory has plenty of desert in it."

Klein says, "Now that I think about it, as I draw crossed the desert, it didn't feel as bad as I thought it would be."

Dai says, "That's because we are used to the heat, Klein. That being said, we also DON'T do cold. We feel and get affected by the cold faster and more than the other fairy races." Dai says, looking at Akari, "However, for Kari-chan, it is the opposite. She does well in the cold."

Akari says, with a smile, "That's because I'm an Undine, a water fairy, and as it implies, we are masters of water magic and not only do we tolerate cold better than other fairies, but due to our water mastery, we are also experts in underwater combat."

Kirito says, plainly with a nod, "That's understandable."

Lisbeth says, looking at Asuna and Usagi, "So, our 'Lightning Flash' and 'White Valkyrie' might turn into 'Little Mermaids', huh? That's interesting."

Usagi and Asuna give blushes on their cheeks and Usagi tells Lisbeth, "I don't think that's what Akari means."

Akari says, "Well…Undines aren't traditionally typically combat-centered fairy races." When everyone looks at Akari, she says, "We are also expert healers as well. Everyone can use healing magic, but we are the best when it comes to healing and especially using the high-level ones."

Sam says, "So, Undines are usually in the support role."

Akari says, with a nod, "That's right. Since we are the best healers of all the fairy races, we are usually in the support role to heal the other players." Akari says, "However, it doesn't mean that we can't be excellent fighters." Akari motions to Michiru and Akari says, "Michiru is known as the 'Water Siren' and she can be really deadly."

Michiru says, with a smile, "Oh, I don't think that I'm at the level of Mizuno-chan. She and five other Undines basically destroyed a force of four dozen Salamanders."

The SAO survivors of the group gasp in shock and Lisbeth says, shocked, "No way!"

Philia says, amazed, "Incredible!"

Usagi asks, stunned, "Mizuno-chan?! She did that?!"

Michiru says, with a smile, "Yep! It is the reason why she is known as 'Ice Valkyrie Tactician'."

Minako says, with a grin, "And the Salamanders never want to face her again."

Usagi says, "It is too bad that she couldn't be here today."

Minako says, with a grin, "The Undines were so glad to have her back that they elected her back to office nearly immediately. Due to the fact that the leaders don't go out due to the risk that we mentioned, Mizuno-chan is most powerful, stats wise, of the fairy leaders."

Makoto says, "It isn't surprising that the Undine players want her back as leader. Mizuno-chan lead them excellently."

Strea asks, "Okay? Who's next?"

Haruka says, putting her hands on Tomoe's shoulders, "I think that Firefly-chan's race should be next. They are the Imps."

Tomoe says, with a smile, "Despite our name, we can be as tall as any of the other fairy races in the game. However, unlike most races, we have the ability to fly in underground dungeons for a short period of time."

There are plenty of interested looks from the SAO survivors of the group and Agil says, "Really? I read that you can't fly in dungeons."

Leafa says, "That's right. With the in-game 'lore', we can fly due to the fact that our wings absorb sunlight or moonlight, depending on the time of day, allowing us to fly through the air."

Sam says, with a nod of understanding, "I can understand why that's the lore since moonlight is sunlight reflected off the sun and inside of a 'dungeon', there is no sunlight."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Bingo. Before we could only 'contain' a limited amount of sunlight or moonlight in our wings, which is why we could only fly for around ten minutes at best, but now, thanks to the remake of ALO, we can store unlimited amounts of that light giving us the ability to fly all the time. However, the negation of the ability to fly in dungeons is still applied, but Imps can fly for short periods of time in underground dungeons since the Imps' homeland is in a mountainous region with their communities underground causing them to gain the ability to fly for short periods underground…based on game lore." Leafa says, looking at Tomoe, "Imps are also masters of darkness or shadow elemental magic and you can say that the Imps are the shinobi of the fairy races."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Shinobi?"

Mamoru says, "Imps are masters of stealth and they are the best when using stealth skills and magic seconded only by Spriggans."

Setsuna says, "Which is where I should come in. Mamoru and I are both Spriggans, but our race is usually one of the least popular by players."

Kirito asks, curiously, "Why is that?"

Setsuna says, with a smile, "Spriggans are masters of illusion magic and the elite treasure hunters of ALO."

Asuna asks, "Treasure hunters, huh?"

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yeah, but their illusion magic is lame for combat and treasure hunting isn't a combat-center skills, so, it is the reason for their unpopularity." Leafa says, looking at Kirito with a smirk, "And knowing you, big brother, you choose them because Spriggans have a pension for black."

Kirito rubs his head, nervously, and Lisbeth says, with a grin, "You got him pegged, Leafa."

Agil says, with a grin, "Yep."

Kirito says, annoyed, "Thanks a lot."

Setsuna says, with a smile, "However, the unpopularity may also be due to a little jealously as well. Spriggans are master treasure hunters and as you might expect, we have gathered quite a bit of rare items, materials, and equipment ranging from armor to weapons."

Leafa says, with a smile, "I've got to admit that Setsuna is right. The Spriggans have gotten a good number of rare items from plenty of places especially top-level dungeons." Leafa tells Philia, "And I'm sure that's why you chose the Spriggans, Philia. With your expertise, you will use the treasure hunting skills of the Spriggans to their upmost."

Philia says, excitedly, "Yeah!"

Mamoru says, "However, there is another 'skill' that the Spriggans have that's usually overlooked: Their multi-weapon wielding ability. Most fairy races, due to their 'builds', can wield only certain type of weapons to their fullest. They may have the ability to use all sorts of weapons, but they can only use a few types of weapons to their fullest. However, Spriggans, on the other hand, can use all sorts of weapons to their fullest. Ranging from daggers to massive 'great axes and swords'."

There are plenty of amaze looks and Sam says, with a nod of understand, "Yes, I can see why that would be an advantage for combat."

Leafa says, motioning to Agil and Strea, "Next, there is the race that Strea and Agil belong to: The Gnomes. The Gnomes are the Earth fairies which obviously means that they are experts in Earth magic. Gnomes are the tallest of the fairy races and second in strength only to the Salamanders, but stamina and defense are high."

Kirito says, "Namely, Gnomes are usually either damage dealers or tankers."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yep."

Haruka says, motioning to Lisbeth, "And now, finally, Lisbeth's fairy race: The Leprechauns."

Minako asks Lisbeth, "Could you extend your wings out, Liz?"

Lisbeth says, curiously, "Sure." Lisbeth then extends her wings, which seem to be more mechanical than organic compared to the others.

Haruka says, "As you can see, Leprechauns' wings seem to be more mechanical than organic, but that's because metal is their business. The Leprechauns are the master blacksmiths of ALO. These days, if you want some of the best weapons and armor in all of ALO, you have to get through a super difficult dungeon or beat hard or rare, but hard to get, monster. The other choice is none other than the Leprechauns and as you may expect for the Leprechauns being players, their forged equipment and items are the best of the best."

Leafa says, with a nod, "Yes! If you want the best weapons and armor, a Leprechaun is a cut about the rest." Leafa says, looking at Lisbeth, "And I'm sure that Lisbeth loved the Leprechaun homeland."

Lisbeth says, with a wide grin, "You got that right! It is one huge and awesome forge! It is really damp, but they need all that water for their forging!"

Asuna asks Lisbeth, "Really?"

Lisbeth says, with a smile, "It seems like they really make their forging very realistic."

Klein says, with a whistle, "Wow."

Haruka says, "However, in return for that well wanted ability, the Leprechauns aren't the best in combat and that's being nice."

Minako says, with a nod, "Actually, they would get steamrolled if they didn't have support from other combat centered races. It doesn't mean that there aren't Leprechauns that don't do well in combat. It is just that they aren't the combat type like a lot of the other races."

Mamoru says, "The last fairy race, in which none of us has an avatar for, is the Pooka. They are a race of fairies that use magical music to boost the stats of themselves and other players in their parities."

Kirito asks, "So, they are the bards of ALO, huh?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "Bards of ALO?"

Usagi tells Asuna in reply, with a smile, "Bards are a classic RPG character class, Asuna. Bards are a support class that use magical music to boost the stats of other players that they are with usually in combat. Unlike your typical enhancement spells and 'abilities', a Bard's enhancements are very long lasting, however, it means that they are used for long-term battles like boss fights."

Sam says, "But typically, depending on the game, Bards don't do well by themselves for obvious reasons since they are a support class."

Kirito says, with a nod of agreement, "Exactly."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I see."

Takeru asks, "So, with that done, what's next?"

Michiru says, with a smile, "I think that we should get started on your first quest."

Haruka says, "Good idea. It will help you get down the play mechanics of ALO and I've got the perfect quest. It isn't a typical beginner quest, but it isn't a super hard quest. It is more like the lowest end of the intermediary quests. With your 'previous experience' and all of us to help, you'll do fine."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Sounds good, Haruka."

Philia asks, curiously, "Are you sure, Kirito?"

Asuna says, "You really think that we will be all right? We are still newbies to ALO and all of us realize that while it does have some similarities to SAO, this is a whole new game in which even the stuff from SAO, like Sword Skills, are different than before."

Kirito says, with a smile, "True, but Leafa and those of us that weren't a part of SAO from the beginning, minus Sinon, are ALO veterans…elites in fact. Okay, they won't help us unless really necessary to make sure that we get the ropes of combat in ALO, but remember, as we have been explaining from the beginning…this ISN'T SAO. Learning how the game works and how to perform in the game is part of the fun."

Klein says, with a grin, "Yeah, we're here to have a blast!"

Lisbeth says, nodding her head, "For once, I agree with you, Klein."

Silica says, with a smile, "Yes!"

Philia says, with a nod, "I agree!"

Asuna says, with a warm smile, "Yes, you are right. We're here to have fun and enjoy ourselves."

Haruka says, with a smile, "Okay, let's get started."

Taichi says, excitedly, "All right!" Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and the SAO survivors of the group prepare for their first quest in ALO.

End Flashback; Return to the Present

Back in the present, within Agil's shop/café in Ryne, Rain asks, "What kind of quest was it?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "It was a monster hunt quest. There was a village where a nasty goblin was terrorizing the area and he was a crafty one. No matter what kind of defense that the village put up, the goblin would get through. Our job was to take out the goblin in his hiding place within your typical cavernous dungeon. However, the way to the dungeon wasn't too easy in which the goblin set up some nasty traps along the way."

Asuna says, "It wasn't too hard, but it wasn't too easy. But that was due to the mindset of all of us that survived SAO just like you, Rain-chan."

Rain says, with a nod, "Really?"

Usagi says, nodding her head, "Remember, we had just started ALO and we haven't fully adjusted to it. We just starting to learn how to fly without using the training controller after all. And while we have escaped Aincrad, we haven't completely gotten ourselves out of our 'SAO mindset'…"

Flashback; April 14, 2025, ALO

Within a forest area, we find the SAO survivors of our heroes and heroines fighting against a group of flower monsters in which all of them yelp as they can see that their HP bars are displaying a poison status effect in which their HP starts to slowly lower.

Klein says, "Crap! I'm hit!"

Silica says, "Pina!" Pina tries to help out, but Silica's dragon partner keeps getting attacked by the monsters, preventing the little blue feathered dragon using its specialized healing breathes to heal Silica and the others from their poisoning.

Asuna asks, concerned, "What do we do?"

Agil says, "We need to use our antidotes!"

Just a short distance away, those of the group that weren't part of SAO from its start, minus Sinon, are watching and Leafa shouts out, "No need!" Leafa turns to Akari and Michiru and she asks, "Could you…?"

Akari and Michiru nod in unison and Akari says, with a smile, "No problem!" Akari and Michiru then start to chant out a spell and when they finish, the SAO survivors of the group start to glow in which they notice that the poisoning status condition on their HP bars vanishes.

Klein says, "Hey, we're no longer poisoned!"

Leafa then asks, looking at Dai and Hino, "Next?"

Dai asks, "Are you sure about me? You know that I'm like your brother and I'm not good at spellcasting, right?"

Akari tells Dai, with a smile, "You'll do fine, Dai-kun."

Dai says, with a shrug, "Okay." Hino and Dai, a bit nervously, chants out their own spell in which the SAO survivor's group then find their weapons glowing with 'flame energy'.

Klein asks, confused, "What the?!"

Lisbeth asks, curiously, "What's this?"

Junpier says, amazed, "Whoa!"

Leafa says, "Dai and Hino used a flame enhancement spell. Fire attacks are now stronger and your weapons, now, have been infused with flame elemental magic. You can inflict fire elemental damage with your weapons. It works especially on overgrown weeds like those guys!"

Junpier says, excitedly, "That's more like it!"

Taichi says, with a nod, "Took the words right out of my mouth!"

Klein says, excitedly, "Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's take care of those weeds!" Soon enough, the SAO survivors of our group with Sinon take care of the plant monsters. Afterwards, they are continuing on a pathway through the forest.

Agil says, "Thanks for the help."

Leafa says, "That's no problem."

Asuna says, "I guess that we have a lot to learn."

Lisbeth says, "I think that we did okay."

Kendo says, "That's true. You didn't do badly."

Kirito says, "However, this battle exposes that we have much to learn about how to fight in ALO including magic. We're still in a 'SAO mentally' in which we are fighting with Sword Skills, weapons, and items to restore our HP and clear up our status effects. And while we can only use magic while we have MP or magic points, which isn't unlimited, we have more options than back in SAO that we need to learn to use."

Philia says, nodding her head in agreement, "Yes, you're right, Kirito."

Leafa says, "I'm sure that you, big brother, and the others will get it soon enough, Philia."

Takeru says, with a smile, "Well, we have good teachers to help us out in that."

Minako says, with a grin, "You know it, Takeru-kun! You'll be an expert like me soon enough!"

Makoto says, with a smirk, "That's a scary thought."

Haruka says, with a grin, "No kidding."

Minako says, annoyed, "Hey!" There are plenty of laughs at Minako's embarrassment, but then Kirito and Usagi then 'sense' something and they turn around to look behind them.

Everyone sees this and Mamoru asks, "Is something wrong?"

Usagi says, with a shrug, "I don't know."

Kirito asks Usagi, "You feel like someone is following us?" Usagi nods her head and Kirito asks Yui, "Are you sensing any players around?"

Yui says, shaking her head, "No, daddy. I'm not detecting any players around."

Leafa says, "There is a possibility that someone put a tracer on us."

Philia asks, curiously, "Tracer?"

Junpier asks, "What's a tracer?"

Kendo says, "A tracking magic spell."

Izumi says, "It takes the form of a small animal or insect, depending on the fairy race of the caster, and it tracks the position of the one the tracer was put on. You can dispel it, but if the caster's magic skill is high, the tracer can be far away."

Leafa says, "And in place this large and filled with so many places to hide in, it would take forever to find it."

Taichi says, annoyed, "That's great."

Silica asks, "Why would anyone want to track us?"

Sam says, "I think that there are plenty of reasons." Sam looks at Leafa and a group of the Sailor Scouts of the group and he says, "Sorry to put the 'bullseye' on you, but…"

Haruka says, "Don't worry, we get it. We are the most well-known players of the game."

Leafa says, with a sigh, "I guess that I was asking for this when I took out General Eugene, one of the strongest players of the game compared to the girls." Leafa asks, with a plain tone, "But where would they be able to put a tracer on us?"

Mamoru asks Usagi, "Are you sure that you 'felt' something, Meatball Head?"

Usagi says, with a nod, "Yes."

Mamoru says, "We should keep an eye out and anyone of us that has a good enough Search Skill should keep it on maximum just in case."

Makoto says, with a nod, "Good idea."

Junpier says, annoyed, "Well, let's not have a group of nasty stalkers ruin our fun. Let's finish this quest already."

Lisbeth says, with a nod, "I'm with you there girlfriend." Everyone else nods their heads in agreement and they continue on, but some distance away, a strange little bat with red eyes is following them.

End Flashback; Return to the Present

Back in the present, Kirito tells Rain, "We would learn that our 'bad feeling' was right on the money."

Rain asks, curiously, "What happened?"

Dai says, "We had arrived in the cavern dungeon where the goblin is supposed to be hiding out. During our walk there, Kirito and the others were learning how to use spells and it wasn't easy for them. I should know."

Akari tells Dai, with a smile, "You managed to get it, Dai-kun."

Dai says, annoyed, "After a million tries, Kari-chan. I never thought that I have to come to a game and learn another language."

Kirito says, nodding his head, "No joke."

Flashback; April 14, 2025, ALO

Inside of a darkened cavern passageway, our group is just starting to explore the cavern after Kirito and Hotaru uses night vision magic to allow everyone to see in the darkened cavern.

Silica says, amazed, "Wow. This is amazing!"

Agil says, with a nod, "No bad."

Junpier says, with a grin, "I'll say."

Miyako says, "We would have had to had this in all sorts of dungeons back…there."

Sam says, with a nod, "I agree."

Sinon asks, "So, what's next?"

Leafa says, "This leads to a massive set of catacombs that loop around and it has plenty of places for that little gremlin to hide. The goblin isn't very strong, but he is quite crafty."

Sam says, "That means that we need to use brains, not brawn, to complete this quest."

Haruka says, with a nod, "Yep."

But then Yui, who is resting inside one of the pockets of Kirito's coat, pops out and she says, "Daddy! Mommy! There is movement behind us!"

The group becomes defensive and Kirito asks, "Monsters?"

Yui responds, "No! They are players! About one dozen of them to be exact!"

There are surprised looks and Junpier asks, curiously and a bit suspiciously, "Players?"

Klein says, "Maybe they are some not-too-rookie players taking the same quest."

Mamoru says, with a suspicious look in his expression, "Maybe. This dungeon is a public dungeon for those taking this same quest…"

Tomoe says, pointing to an area, "Over there!" Everyone looks to see a massive 'indent' in the wall where they can all fit.

Haruka says, with a smile, "Good work, Firefly!" Immediately, all of them fill into the 'indent' where Mamoru and Setsuna cast a spell to create an 'illusion' that 'indent' in the wall isn't there and it is one solid wall.

Philia says, amazed, "Oh, wow."

Tomoe says, "We can only talk at a whisper. Any louder and the spell will be broken in which they will hear us."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Okay."

Agil says, plainly, "Handy."

Klein says, "I don't like this running and hiding kind of stuff."

Yui says, "They will be coming into view soon."

Minako tells Sinon, Silica, and the other Cait Sith in the group, "Okay, everyone. Keep those Cait Sith's eyes open."

Sinon says, with a plain tone, "Understood." As everyone looks in the direction that they came from, there is silence for a few moments and Sinon says, "There is something up ahead."

Asuna asks, "Is it a player?"

Silica says, shaking her head, "No, it isn't. It looks like a small animal."

Leafa asks, getting a 'bad feeling', "Small animal? Are you sure?"

Sinon responds, curiously, "Yes, it looks like…a bat?"

Plenty of the group's eyes widen and Hino asks, with a serious expression, "Are you certain?"

Minako says, with a serious tone, "They're right. It's a bat." With those words, Leafa and Dai run out causing the spell to break.

Lisbeth yells out, "Hey! You broke the spell!"

Dai says, "That's a high-level Salamander searching tracer! We need to take it out now!"

Leafa says, "You got it!"

Kendo says, seriously, "We need to get to the main cavern now!" Leafa then uses a wind spell to unleash a barrage of 'needles' of wind magic energy that destroy the small bat.

Dai says, seriously, "Move, people! Move!" Immediately, the group starts to run down the cavern.

Philia asks, curiously, "Couldn't we hide behind another spell?"

Sara says, "That wouldn't work! That's a high-level tracer spell! It means that we aren't dealing with low-level players, but team of Salamander veterans!"

Dai says, "Most likely, a Salamander 'hit squad'! And they'll have powerful tracking and tracer spells to find exactly where we are making any sheath and illusion spells completely useless! If we're caught in this narrow passageway, we may have the advantage in numbers, but the narrow area will make it a nightmare to fight!"

Silica asks, "Why are they after us?"

Kirito says, looking at Leafa and other ALO veterans in the group, "I hate to say it…"

Leafa says, "No need, big brother. The girls and I are most likely the targets due to the fact that we stopped them from disrupting the alliance between the Sylphs and Cait Sith. Even through the Salamanders are the strongest group of players in ALO, they are ONLY the strongest SINGLE group of players. With the alliance between the Sylphs and Cait Sith, the balance of power has shifted making Sylphs and Cait Sith even with the Salamanders and we helped make it happen." Leafa says, with a sigh, "With me being a number one target since I beat General Eugene in combat, who is still one of the strongest players, not just the strongest of the Salamander players, in ALO."

Junpier says, with a nervous smile, "It must be tough being popular."

Usagi says, "I think that's the kind of popularity that Leafa can do WITHOUT."

Leafa says, with a nod, "No freaking kidding, Usagi!"

Haruka says, seriously, "We have to hurry! Since we destroyed their tracer, they will be doing their best to catch up with us! We need to get to the wider part of the cavern and now!" The group continues to run as fast as they can and soon enough, they arrive at a massive underground catacombs.

Taichi says, amazed, "Whoa! This is huge!"

Leafa says, seriously, "Everyone, split up into groups centered around Tomoe, Mamoru, and Setsuna!" Leafa tells Tomoe, Mamoru, and Setsuna, "The three of you cast the best stealth spells to hide yourselves!"

Asuna asks Leafa, "What about you?"

Leafa says, with a smirk, "I'm the bait."

Kirito asks, surprised, "What?!"

Leafa tells Kirito, "Easy, big brother. It will be okay. Just trust me." Leafa gives a smile and Kirito nods his head in which the others immediately split off into three groups with Tomoe, Mamoru, and Setsuna at the 'lead' in which they used their magic to create 'barriers' that covers them up while Leafa, drawing her sword, remained standing in front of the entrance/exit until a group of twelve Salamander players comes out of the cave entrance in which Leafa can see that they have very high-level equipment with half of the group being armored warriors with the other half being mages.

One of the Salamanders, one with tan skin, spiky red hair, classic for Salamander players, and wearing somewhat fancy, but excellent high-level armor, retorts, with a sly smirk, "Well, look who we have here?"

Leafa says, looking at the Salamander, "I know you. You are one of Eugene's top warriors."

The Salamander responds, "That's right. The name is Talon, Leafa, the Wind Valkyrie."

Leafa mentally groans at her new 'nickname' and she says, "You know who I am."

The Salamander, Talon, retorts, "Who can forget the Sylph that defeated Eugene-sama and damaged his reputation?"

Leafa says, "It was nothing personal."

Talon says, "Too bad for you, girl. It is personal for me. I'm a member of Eugene-sama's elite guard. His right hand man, if you will."

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, _"Oh, great."_

One of the other Salamander, one with well-combed red hair, jade green eyes, and his facial features gives him a 'punk' appearance, says, "Come on, bro, let's stop talking and beat this witch already!"

Another Salamander says, with an evil leer, "We haven't killed a female player in a while." Leafa gives a disgusted look and with Mamoru's group, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi, are part of it with Kirito tensing up.

Mamoru tells Kirito, in a whisper, "Easy, Kirito. It is understandable. Unfortunately, there are plenty of this scum in ALO. Due to the harassment rules, they make a workaround by taking pleasure with player-killing FEMALE players."

Asuna whispers, disgusted, "That's sick."

Mamoru says, with a nod and whisper, "Agreed, but they make sure that they don't target female players too much or the administration could catch on."

Leafa then says, with a taunting tone, "That's how you get your kicks, huh? Now, I know that I'm dealing with a bunch of losers."

The two Salamanders that were leering at Leafa, now, glare at her and the one with the 'punk' appearance yells out, annoyed, "What was that?"

Leafa says, with a smirk, "You heard me! Guess you need to PK female players because you can't get your 'rocks' off IRL, right? That's the sign of a loser!"

The two Salamanders draw their weapons and the 'punk' Salamander player, drawing a one-handed sword, yells out, angrily, "How dare you?!"

Talon slams the two Salamanders on the back of their heads and he yells at them, annoyed, "Cool it, you morons!" Talon shakes his head and he asks, "Why am I friends with you two?" Talon tells the two Salamanders, "If you need to get off your rocks, do it IRL with some hentai or something! This is business!" Talon tells Leafa, "Now, where are your friends?"

Leafa responds, "I don't know what you mean."

Talon says, "Don't think that I'm stupid, girl. We know that you that you hang out with other players especially your fellow Nymphs in which we know that there are other players with you!"

Leafa retorts, with a grin, "Maybe they didn't want to deal with you if you are supposed to be Eugene's 'elite guard' especially two pathetic hentai that can't get real girls IRL."

The 'punk' Salamander shouts out, angrily, "That does it! You're dead, bitch!" He and the other Salamander charge in and attack Leafa in which she manages to fight both of them off, but not too easily.

Talon mentally slaps himself and he thinks in his mind, _"Bakas. Why am I still friends with them?"_ Talon tells the mages of the Salamander group, "Watch out for anything!"

The leader of the mages responds, with a nod, "Yes, sir." Talon draws a powerful two-handed sword and he motions for other three Salamander warriors to follow him in which they do so.

Back with the fight, Leafa thinks in her mind, _"These two maybe hentai, but their skills, here, are nothing to laugh at."_

Leafa continues to fight them off, but Talon then shouts out, "Out of the way!" The 'punk' Salamander and his 'partner' glance behind them and then leap out of the way to find Leafa looking to see Talon attacking her with his sword giving off a familiar glow causing Leafa and plenty of her group, still in hiding, to gasp in shock.

Leafa, Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi think in unison, _"That's…"_ Immediately, Leafa uses **Sonic Leap** , the 1-strike One-Handed Sword Skill combo, against Talon, who is using **Avalanche** , a 1-strike Two-Handed Sword Skill combo, in which Leafa strikes Talon's sword at a certain place to divert the attack, but the shockwave from the clash causing Leafa to skid back a bit.

Kirito thinks in his mind, worriedly, _"Sugu…"_

Talon says, with a sly smirk, "That's right, Sylph. **Avalanche** , a good Two-Handed Sword Skill. You may have gotten one up on Eugene-sama since you, somehow, mastered Sword Skills just when they have been introduced, but you should have realized that you little edge couldn't last forever. Plus, Eugene-sama has created an OSS just as powerful as yours."

Leafa says, "I've heard the rumors."

Talon says, "They aren't rumors. Too bad that you are going to get PK-ed before you ever see it!"

Leafa says, seriously, "We'll see!" Leafa gets into a stance as the half-a-dozen Salamander warriors attack her and despite her skills, she is quickly hard-pressed into the defensive and while she doesn't suffer a major hit, Leafa is getting nicked over and over again causing her HP to slowly drop bit by bit. The Salamander group uses one Sword Skill after another in which Leafa barely manages to counter with her Sword Skills, the One-Handed Sword Skills due to her using one-handed sword despite its similarities to a kitana. As the others watched, with plenty of them wanting to jump in, especially Kirito and Usagi with their beloved the only thing holding them back, barely I might add, Leafa continues her hard-pressed defensive fight as her HP goes down to yellow, but then she sees what she is waiting for when she sees the mages of the group lose focus on looking for any trap and walking forward from the entrance/exit of the catacombs to get a better view of the battle.

The 'punk' Salamander says, with a sly smirk, "Not bad, Sylph girl, but we have got you…"

However, Leafa yells out, interrupting him, "NOW!" Immediately, the rest of our group burst out of cover and immediately, Sinon and Hino strike with long range arrow shots and immediately take out one of the Salamander mages, turning him into a Remain Light. The others charge in with some of them unleash magic attacks on the mages to make unable to counter or retreat in which Kirito charges right at the 'punk' Salamander in which with a powerful roar as he unleashes an incredible strike where his sword cuts down him with one strike, turning him into a Remain Light immediately.

Talon says, stunned, "Damn it!"

Leafa yells out, "That's what you get, pal!" Talon turns to Leafa only to see her coming down on him with a downward **Vertical** , another 1-hit One-Handed Sword Skill, and he yells out as it hits.

End Flashback; Return to the Present

Back in the present, Strea says, with a giggle, "Ooh, I remember when Leafa-chan brought down the hammer on that Talon guy. He must have had a nasty headache."

Dai says, with a grin, "Among other things, Strea."

Rain asks, "What happened afterwards?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "We completed the quest through it wasn't easy."

Dai says, with a grin, "Yeah, the little goblin was just like advertised."

Asuna says, with a nod, "I agree."

Dai says, "He took hide-and-seek to a whole new level."

Rain says, "Actually, that's something I want to talk to you about."

Kirito asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Yui says, "Oh, you must talking about the rumors of that player that's really good at hiding."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Really?"

Yui says, with a nod, "Yes, this player is the talk of the streams lately."

Rain says, nodding her head, "I've heard about those rumors. They are really something else."

Strea says, with a nod, "Me too! No one has been able to find this player!"

Asuna says, "You, two, seem really interested in this player."

Rain says, "Well, no one is sure that this player exists outside of the rumors. Urban legends gives me the best sort of chills."

Akari says, "I think that I heard about this player too."

Dai says, with a nod, "Yeah, now that I think about it. I've heard about a player that just like a ghost."

Asuna asks, nervously, "G-Ghost?"

Strea says, with a giggle, "No, silly. Everything can be a scary story to you, Asuna."

Asuna says, with a blush, "N-No!"

Kirito says, "Well, now, I'm curious. It could be an event that the administration set up."

Usagi says, "Maybe. It could also be a Spriggan or Imp player that's really good at that part of their craft. Remember, Spriggans and Imps are experts in stealth."

Asuna says, with a nod, "You have a point, Usagi-chan." Asuna says, with a smile, "In fact, we have three experts in the craft of stealth through I believe one of them has gotten a bit rusty."

Kirito says, with a blush, "Hey, I'm not rusty!" Asuna gives a giggle and Kirito says, clearing his throat, "Anyway, if it is a player, I'm sure that I will be able to tell."

Yui says, with a smile, "Yep! Daddy is really good at the art of detection."

Kirito says, with a bit of a nervous smile, "Yeah, I'm more inclined to find rather than hide."

Usagi asks, slyly, "Like finding trouble?"

Kirito gives a yelp in surprise and nervousness and Asuna retorts, slyly, "So, says the 'White Valkyrie', Usagi-chan." Usagi gives a nervous yelp and she rubs her head nervously at that remark.

Dai says, "I guess that means that we are going on the search."

Akari says, with a nod, "It sounds like it, Dai-kun."

Rain says, "I want in too. Sneaking around without people noticing me is totally my thing!"

Strea says, excitedly, "Same here! Sneaking is TOTALLY my thing!"

Kirito says, "Hold up, you two. Just because you are experts at hiding doesn't mean that you'll be good at finding…"

Usagi tells Kirito, "Not exactly, Kirito. Their experience at hiding so well might give us insight at how this player will act."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Good point, Usagi. I changed my mind on that."

Dai asks, "So, what are we waiting for?" The rest of the group nod their heads in agreement as they prepare to head out to see if they can find the player.

 _ **November 2025, ALO, Svart Alfheim, Woglinde, the Island of Meadows**_

Somewhere on Woglinde, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, Usagi, Rain, Strea, Dai, and Akari are looking around for the mysterious player that has the exceptional hiding skills.

Kirito asks, "The latest rumors put this player over here?"

Asuna says, "I think so."

Yui responds, "With all of the rumors flying around, finding this player has turned into an unofficial event of sorts. Everyone is looking for this player!"

Kirito says, "Yeah, seems like it."

Dai asks Kirito and Usagi, "Anything, you two?"

Usagi says, shaking her head, "Not a thing."

Kirito says, "Same here. You have to remember that if a player's hiding skill is high enough, the detection skill won't even react to them."

Akari says, "And this player is an Imp or Spriggan, they are going to have a real high hiding skill."

Strea says, "But the chances of it reacting are higher when your skill level is higher. So, if you, two, can't sense anything, it means…"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Either this player is well-hidden, their skill level is through the roof, or both."

Yui says, "Or they might not be here anymore."

Akari says, with a nod, "That's a good point, Yui."

Asuna says, "We came here based on what the bulletin board said, right? Maybe we should take another look."

Kirito says, "Yeah, you can't post anonymously on that bulletin board, so, I really thought that we could trust that information…"

Dai says, "True, but it doesn't mean that you can trust the timing of the post, bro."

The group open their menus and Rain says, "Ooh, it says that the mystery player has gone somewhere else. Their new location isn't too far from here."

Yui says, curiously, "I wonder if the player that wrote it cast a tracking spell on the player…"

Strea says, "Or maybe they are triangulating their position based on the tracking spells that everyone is using…but then again, it might not be even true."

Kirito asks, "What? Like they are leading us on a wild goose chase?"

Strea says, with a nod, "Yep."

Dai says, "That would mean that they are the player themselves or a friend of theirs."

Kirito says, "Something feels off about this. Based on what I see, it seems like they are hiding just for fun. It is like they are playing a game of hide and seek."

Asuna says, "Then there is no reason for them to spread false information. The information must be true."

Dai says, with a nod, "Could be. Maybe it is just a player just doing this for attention."

Usagi asks, curiously, "Really?"

Akari says, with a nod, "Dai-kun might have a point, Usagi."

Kirito says, "Well, we should check out this new location." The others nod their heads in agreement and they head off to the next location.

 _ **November 2025, ALO, Svart Alfheim, Ryne**_

Returning to Agil's shop/café in Ryne, Kirito, Yui, Usagi, Rain, Strea, Dai, and Akari are assembled together and discussing about a certain player.

Kirito says, annoyed, "Still no sign…of anything!"

Rain says, "This is really getting to you, Kirito."

Strea says, "Well, our past ten attempts of finding this player have turned up squat."

Dai says, with a plain tone, "Maybe LESS than squat."

Yui says, "This player is really good at hiding. It probably doesn't have to do with their skill level…"

Kirito says, "It is like trying to find a beast that's silently and patiently lying in wait for its prey. This player must have good animal instincts."

Usagi tells Kirito, "I hope that you aren't suggesting that we are 'going wild' for this player since you already seem to, Kirito."

Kirito gives a nervous yelp and Strea asks, "Hey, wait a minute? Where's Asuna?"

Akari says, "Oh, she had a quick quest to take care of. She'll be back soon."

Yui asks, "Mommy has been taking on a lot of those solo quests lately, huh?"

Kirito says, "Yeah." Just then they hear the door chime and everyone looks to see Asuna walking into the shop/café.

Dai says, with a smile, "Speaking of whom…" However, Usagi then sees a nervous look on Asuna's face.

Asuna says, going over to Kirito, "Kirito-kun…"

Kirito, noticing the nervousness in Asuna's voice, asks, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Asuna replies, nervously, "I think…I think that I'm being followed."

There are looks of shock from the others and Akari asks, concerned, "Are you sure, Asuna?"

Asuna says, "I'm not sure, Akari. When I was on my solo quest, I felt that I was being followed, but when I looked around, there was no one there." Asuna says, nervously, "And it wasn't the first time. It has been happening a lot lately."

Dai says, plainly, "Uh oh."

Kirito asks, seriously, "Wait! Is someone stalking you?"

Rain says, "Their hiding skill must be high if you can't detect them, Asuna."

Strea says, "Ooh, it might be the same player that we are after."

Usagi asks Kirito, "What do you think Kirito?"

Kirito stays silent for several moments and he then says, "I have a plan." Everyone becomes interested as Kirito starts to talk with the others about his plan.

 _ **November 2025, ALO, Svart Alfheim, Woglinde**_

Back on Woglinde, Kirito, Asuna, Yui, Usagi, Rain, Strea, Dai, and Akari are preparing to enact Kirito's plan to capture Asuna's 'stalker'.

Dai tells Kirito, "Ready to go."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Okay, everyone, time to get in position!"

Asuna asks, "C-Can we really catch that stalker like this?"

Kirito says, "Well, we have to do something. If this player is just playing hide-and-seek, it is all in good fun. But if this player is some kind of stalker, this is harassment."

Akari says, with a nod, "And that's so not cool."

Dai says, nodding his head, "Got that right."

Kirito says, "I don't want you feeling unsafe any longer, but…"

Asuna asks, curiously, "But what?"

Kirito says, with a kind smile, "Never mind. We'll have this figured out before you know it."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Okay."

Usagi says, "Okay, everyone, time to get into position."

Strea says, with a smile, "Right-o!"

Dai says, "We're on our way." Akari nods her head in agreement in which Usagi, Rain, Strea, Dai, and Akari head off.

Kirito tells Asuna, "It is all up to you, Asuna."

Asuna says, with a nod, "Got it." Kirito then follows the others into hiding and after a while, there seems to be nothing. However, within the shadows of the nearby area, there seems to be a figure watching the whole thing.

The figure says, in a high and very young female voice, "Huh? Where did they go? We were in the middle of our game. I thought that I was the one hiding and they were the ones seeking." But what the figure doesn't notice is that Kirito was sneaking up on the figure.

Kirito yells out, "Gotcha!" Kirito then leaps and grabs the figure in which the figure gives a feminine yelp.

The others, quickly, arrive on the scene and Asuna yells out, "Kirito!"

Usagi asks, "Did you get them?"

Dai says, "Well, he got someone by the looks of it!"

Strea says, excitedly, "Woo hoo! We got the bad guy!" Strea then asks, surprised upon seeing the figure, "Huh?"

The figure screams out, "What?! What the heck are you doing?!"

Rain asks, surprised upon seeing the figure, "You're a girl?!"

The figure responds, "So, what if I am? Let me go already!"

Asuna tells Kirito, "Kirito, let her go before you set off the harassment code!"

Kirito yelps out as he gets go of the figure and he yells out, nervously, "S-Sorry!"

The figure, revealed to be female, asks, annoyed, "What's wrong with you?" As she stands up, the others get a good look at the female figure.

The female figure…female PLAYER, actually, looks to be a young girl of around pre-teen years wearing a violet and dark pink cat-ear hoodie that covers much of her short bright violet light with bits of it peeking out, orange eyes, and wearing a violet dress with her shoulders exposed, violet and pink sleeves with brown fur covering the lower half of her upper arms and much of her lower arms, violet gloves on her hands, light violet pants, and violet boots.

Asuna says, a bit nervously, "Hi, I'm Asuna, an Undine. These are my friends, Akari, a fellow Undine, Dai, a Salamander, Rain, a Leprechaun, Strea, a Gnome, and Kirito, a Spriggan."

Akari asks, "What's your name, sweetie?"

The young girl player responds, "I'm Sphica, an Imp."

Dai says, "Well, that answers that."

Usagi says, with a nod, "An Imp are very good at hiding since stealth and stealth magic is their expertise."

Asuna asks, "Were you the one following me, Sphica?"

Sphica responds, "I wasn't following anyone! I was playing hide-and-seek like I always do in ALO!"

Rain asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Strea asks, curiously, "What are you talking about?"

Kirito says, "I knew it. Sphica was the player that was being talked about. The one good at hiding."

Usagi says, with a nod, "And it looks like you were right. She was just playing around." Usagi says, looking at Sphica, "She looks so young."

Kirito says, plainly, "Yeah. It must be someone else stalking you, Asuna."

Sphica then says, "Oh, you mean that weird looking guy? I see him all the time playing hide-and-seek." There are looks of surprise and Asuna gasps in shock in which Sphica says, "He was always muttering to himself weirdly and he was always hiding. But I'm the best at hide-and-seek and I saw him right away."

Sphica giggles and Dai says, with a smirk, "Two birds with one stone."

Akari says, with a nod, "Yeah."

Kirito tells Sphica, "Sphica, can you tell us more about him?"

Sphica says, with a nod, "Sure!" Soon enough, Sphica tells about Asuna's 'stalker'.

( **Later on** )

Twilight hours in ALO, our group, joined by Sphica at the moment, are discussing what happened.

Yui says, "You must be relieved that we caught that stalker, Mommy!"

Asuna says, "Yeah. And his account was suspended that we don't have to worry about him anymore."

Dai says, "Wished that we could have done that to Talon's friends."

Akari tells Dai, "Same here, but they are careful to make sure that they don't get suspended."

Dai says, with a sigh, "No joke."

Kirito says, with a smile, "It's all thanks to you, Sphica. We couldn't have caught him without your help."

Sphica giggle and Rain says, with a sigh, "This kid proved to be more help than us this time."

Strea says, with a smile, "That's for sure! What a good girl!"

Yui asks, curiously, "Hey, Daddy, isn't she a bit young to be playing VRMMOs?"

Kirito says, "That's true. You can't use the Amusphere if you are younger than thirteen just like the NervGear."

Sphica says, proudly, "Well, I'm eleven!"

Dai says, "That's younger than thirteen."

Usagi says, with a plain tone, "No kidding, Dai."

Asuna asks, nervously, "I wonder: Do we report her to the administration?"

Strea says, excitedly, "The age restriction is just for show anyway!"

Yui says, annoyed, "Strea, you can't say that!"

Rain says, nervously, "Well, it never stopped my sister."

Usagi tells Rain, nervously, "Technically, she can be an exception since she is a child-genius, promoting Full-Dive VR and VRMMO, especially ALO, and helping them recover from the massive PR damage caused by you-know-what, so, I think that RCT Progress would make a MAJOR exception for Seven, don't you think?"

Rain says, nervously, "Yes, y-you have a point, Usagi."

Akari says, "But Sphica seems to be a regular girl."

Kirito says, clearing his throat, "Then we will pretend that we didn't hear how old she is."

Asuna says, nervously, "R-Right."

Dai says, with a shrug, "Okay."

Kirito tells Sphica, "You really helped us out, Sphica. Thanks."

Sphica says, with a giggle, "No problem!"

Kirito asks, curiously, "But why are you playing hide-and-seek by yourself in ALO anyway?"

Sphica says, in a chipper tone, "Because it's fun!"

Kirito asks, curiously, "So, you don't play with any of your friends and family?"

Sphica says, with a smile, "Nope! I dive-in all by myself! There's so much more that you can do here than in the real world! It makes hide-and-seek way more fun!"

Asuna says, a bit nervously, "I guess that she is right…"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yeah…"

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Uh oh. Kirito has got 'that look' on him again."_

Kirito tells Sphica, "Sphica, how about you play hide-and-seek with us from now on rather than alone?"

Sphica asks, curiously, "Huh? Really?"

Asuna says, with a smile, "Of course! However, you'll have to teach us how to be as good in hiding like you!"

Sphica says, playfully, "Okay!" Sphica then says, "There is actually a special trick to getting super sneaky that I can tell you!"

Asuna asks, curiously, "What's that?"

Sphica replies, "Get an item called Kunoichi. It is an outfit from that collab that they did with that Japanese-themed game. Your hiding skill will go WAY up if you get it!"

Dai says, remembering, "Oh, yeah! I remember that!"

Akari says, with a nod, "Same here, Dai-kun. It was that event that ALO did with Asuka Empire."

Asuna tells Sphica, "Thanks, Sphica. I'll try to get one myself."

Sphica says, excitedly, "I'll help!"

Rain says, "She is really a sweet girl."

Strea says, excitedly, "That's she is and she is really cute too!"

Usagi goes over to Kirito and she asks, in a whisper, "Kirito, do you think that you have an idea on why someone young like Sphica is here?"

Kirito whispers back, "I do, but I really don't want to ruin this happy moment right now."

Usagi says, with a nod, "Good idea." However, Usagi can't help to wonder as she looks at young Sphica, but for now, she continues to join this happy moment with their new friend.

 **The end…but the adventures continue on…**

And there we go! Personally, I really like this story. While it did go over into the past after I had finished the **After Fragments** three-part 'prelude' to **World's Song** , I did leave a little 'space' for something like this. I think that it mixed perfectly with the 'theme' of this one-shot. The stories from the 'Memory Defrag' walkthrough that I watched on YouTube gave me tons of new ideas and I hope that you like them. Please read and review and no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	25. Flash, Sword, and Valkyrie

Well, I welcome you to the next story in this vast 'fanfiction universe' and we are back to the 'original' SMO timeline, once again. There is going to be plenty of action in this chapter, but there is also going to be plenty of drama and a situation that you might misinterpret thinking that it is 'one thing' when it is actually something else entirely. What do I mean, you ask? Sorry! Spoiler alert! You need to read to find out, everyone! Now, before I start, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization as well as the idea of Darth Revan Sammy Tsukino, the other alternate versions of said character, and the basic plot of this one-shot._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 25: Mother's Rosario 2: Flash, Sword, and Valkyrie**

Note: This story takes place in 'main' SMO timeline in-between Arc II of **SAO Shippuden** and **Alternating Scales**.

 _ **January 6, 2026, Tokyo, Yuuki household**_

This evening, we are inside of the Yuuki household where we find ourselves inside of a large three-hundred-square-foot dining room where, at the center, there is a long eight-legged table where we find Asuna sitting some distance away from the northeast corner and across the table to Asuna's left, there is another woman.

This woman is a fairly tall, middle-aged woman with brown eyes, and despite her thin features, her solid frame removes any sense of slimness. Her hair, which is dyed in a rich, brown color, is parted to the sides neatly cut along her jaw. Even though her face is beautiful, her high nose and jawline, as well as the deep wrinkles near her mouth create a severely cold impression.

The woman asks Asuna, bluntly, "Were you using that machine again?"

Asuna responds, "Yes. We made an agreement do to our homework together."

The woman responds, bluntly, "It's not going to sink in and do you any good unless you do that studying on your own."

Asuna mentally sighs and she replies, "Everyone lives very far apart. In there, we can meet one another instantly."

The woman retorts, bluntly, "Using that machine doesn't count as 'meeting'. Besides, homework is meant to be done alone. With your friends, you're bound to end up cavorting around. And you don't have the time the leeway for fun and games. You're behind the others, so, it's obvious that you need to study even harder to make up those two extra years."

Asuna says in reply, "I am doing my studies. Didn't you see the printout of my second-term grade report I left on your desk?"

The woman says, "I did, but I put no stock in the grade reports from a school like that?"

Asuna asks, curiously, "A school like what?"

The woman says, "Listen, Asuna. I'm giving you a home tutor in addition to school for your third term. Not one of those popular online tutors, but a proper one who comes to the house."

Asuna says, surprised, "Wait…this is so sudden…"

The woman says, in a commanding tone, "Look at this." The woman then puts a tablet computer on the table and pushes it over to Asuna causing her to eyes to grow wide at what she sees.

Asuna asks, shocked, "What is this? A summary of a…transfer exam?"

The woman says, "I called in a favor from a friend who's a high school director to allow you to take a transfer exam for their senior program. Not a slapped-together school like your current one…"

Asuna tells the woman, "Mother, you know that's not the case now. It is originally a temporary school for us, SAO survivors, but thanks to funding from an anonymous donor, the government has made it into an official academy and the teachers hired into the school staff are among the best of the best especially for the fields that the new school will be focusing on especially after we have left it. I'm sure that you have seen the names of the professors and teachers as well as the first non-SAO survivor students accepted into the school given your influence." The woman, revealed to be Asuna's mother, Kyouko Yuuki, can't help to be silent for a moment and her right eyebrow twitches somewhat.

Kyouko clears her throat and she says, keeping herself composed, "Yes, you do have a point. Their qualifications as teachers and professors are…very good. And the first student body beyond your…friends and those like them are quite…talented. However, the facility itself is lacking. Their curriculum is beyond decent and their subjects are good, but the facility don't have means to work that curriculum to its upmost. Yes, they are getting best of the best in equipment, but the building itself isn't up to specifications to do what it is needed to do and they don't have all of the equipment needed. They have the money and resources, but it also takes time. You don't make an excellent school with a snap of the fingers despite the excellence of the equipment and the facility. The new school may be one of the greats…in time. I mean MAY. However, right now, it is nothing more than a place that they can gather potential future problem children to keep an eye on them. Perhaps there is a function for such a place, when some of those children have spent all that time killing one another in some bizarre game, but that's no reason for you to be there." Asuna doesn't reply to such a criticism since she knows that her mother has a point.

The SAO Memorial Academy was originally a temporary school set up for SAO survivors that were still in school when they were first trapped in, but after Serena AKA Sailor Moon made a major donation from the massive secret fund left to her by her uncle, none other than Akihiko Kayaba, the one that trapped Asuna and many others, including Serena herself, in that infamous 'death game', with some 'maneuvering' by her friends, namely Trista AKA Sailor Pluto, who claimed that she had some 'connections', family, mainly Serena's father, Kenji Tsukino, who is quite well-known magazine editor, and plenty of others, including, which surprised our heroes and heroines, from the government themselves including the head of the 'SAO Task Force', Seijirou Kikuoka, part of the government's 'virtual division', the government approved that the temporary school would be remade into a permanent school known as the SAO Memorial Academy, which is not only dedicated to the further education of SAO survivors like Asuna and Serena, but the teaching of future generations in the fields that make up the industry of Full-Dive, which is ever growing, to ensure that nothing like SAO could ever happen again by ensuring the peaceful development of the technology, which, along with VRMMO, is still in recovery due to SAO and what happened with the original ALO, by helping fertile minds that could help Full-Dive VR and VRMMO grow without such 'horror' happening by helping people get into the industry and help gain the knowledge and ability to make sure that something like SAO and the original ALO to NEVER HAPPEN again.

To note: Asuna still have suspicions about, especially after the 'Death Gun' incident where a former member of Laughing Coffin, the murder guild of SAO, and his brother tried to recreate SAO, in a way, in the VRMMO Gun Gale Online, but he did help them solve this mystery and stop it before it could lead into something like what happened with SAO and the original ALO, so, Asuna keeps her suspicions, which she knows that her boyfriend and fellow SAO survivor, Kazuto Kirigaya, known as Kirito in SAO/ALO, and Serena reciprocate, to herself at the moment.

However, while SAO Memorial Academy is shaping up to become a respectable school, it is still in its 'infancy' and her mother has a point since it is keeping the SAO survivors in one place where they have to go to counseling where they are subject to questions to detect antisocial behavior or thoughts in which, depending on the answers, they may be subject to institutionalization or drugs. While her mother's statements aren't exactly true, the statements of Asuna's mother do have a point as much as Asuna hates to admit.

Kyouko says, "And while they are bringing in talented students, they also must want to assemble them all together to observe them to see if there is another one of HIM lurking within them and nip the situation in the butt before they get another one like HIM."

Asuna sighs and she says, plainly, "Mother, please, I hope that you aren't saying that out loud." Kyouko glares at Asuna, causing her to flinch for a second, but Asuna says, regaining her composer, "I just don't want you to go through that…media circus after Sugou was arrested. And yes, mother, I saw what happened…" Kyouko's eyes widen a bit, but she regains her composer, however, her right hand turns into a fist.

Flashback; Late January 2025, Tokorozawa

Within the hospital at Tokorozawa, we find Asuna Yuuki, who has just escaped ALO, sitting on her bed as a nurse is tending to her.

The nurse tells Asuna, "Very good, Yuuki-san. However, you need to take it really easy. You haven't used your body in over two years." Asuna gently nods her head and the door to her hospital room opens up in which Darien, Serena, the rest of the Sailor Scouts, and Kazuto enter the room.

Asuna says, weakly, "Kirito-kun…Usagi-chan…"

The nurse says, with a smile, "Ah, you are Yuuki-san's friends. I will leave you alone with her, but she needs to take it easy, she has just awoken after all."

Darien says, "Yes, we understand."

Serena asks, curiously, "When can Asuna start her physical therapy?"

The nurse says, "Soon, but we can't rush it. She is very fragile you understand."

Kazuto says, "We do all too well." The nurse gives a confused look and her eyes widen in which Kazuto says, pointing to himself and Serena, "We met 'over there'."

The nurse says, giving a nod of understanding, "I understand. However, she hasn't been using her body for an additional two months longer than the three of you. It will, most likely, take her a bit longer than you to 'heal'."

Serena says, with a smile, "We know. We are just glad that she is safe and we'll be with her all the way." Asuna smiles warmly at Serena and the nurse, also smiling warmly, leaves the room.

Michelle, holding a group of flowers, says, with a smile, "I hope that you like flowers." Michelle then goes over and puts the flowers into a vase that's on a nearby table while the others assemble around Asuna.

Asuna says, weakly, "Usagi-chan…"

Serena says, with a smile, "It is Serena…Serena Tsukino, Asuna."

Asuna says, with a weak voice, "Oops, my mistake."

Kazuto tells Asuna, with a smile, "Don't feel bad about it, Asuna. It took us a long while for us to start responding to our 'real names'."

Raye says, looking at Serena with a grin, "I remember a certain Meatball Head who went by the name 'Bunny' instead of her real name until about one month after she got out of that prison."

Serena gives a blush and she says, nervously and with an annoyed expression, "Hey, it was my name for two years and it was the only name that I kept seeing and hearing over all that time."

Kazuto says, with a smile, "I think that plenty of our fellow survivors gone through the same thing, Serena."

Asuna says, weakly, "Serena…I remember…that's your real name…Usagi-chan…"

Serena tells Asuna, "Kazuto tells me that you met Lisbeth in the real world for the first time recently."

Asuna says, with a nod, "That's right." Asuna tells Serena, "Your name…means calm of the moon…it is lovely name…"

Serena says, "Thanks, Asuna."

Kazuto tells Asuna, pointing to Darien and the Sailor Scouts, "And these are Serena's friends, Asuna. And this guy is Serena's boyfriend."

Asuna's eyes grow wide and Darien says, looking at Asuna, "I'm Darien Shields. It is nice to meet you." Asuna nods her head and she then looks at Serena.

Serena says, with a smile, "Yes, it is them."

Lita says, with a smile, "We already know that you know who we are, Asuna."

Raye says, looking at Serena, "Because a certain Meatball Head of ours couldn't get herself in a situation where she was forced to use her powers in front of a group of people."

Serena says, nervously, "Come on, Pyro! How many times do I have to say sorry? You are going to harp me forever, aren't you? You are such a pain!"

Asuna giggles, but she coughs a bit and Kazuto tells Asuna, concerned, "Easy, Asuna. Don't get yourself too excited. Trust me, I know how that feels." Asuna gives a slight nod and Lita takes a look at the television.

Lita says, nervously, "Yipe! It is a media circus today." Everyone looks towards the television and they see a report about what happened with ALO.

Amara says, "That's not surprising. Since we exposed Sugou so completely and what happened with Sword Art Online, this would be a major shocker. Most likely, as much, if not more, than SAO."

Darien says, with a plain tone, "Sadly, it means bad news for the Full-Dive VR technology and VRMMOs too."

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "Yes…"

Asuna gives a solemn look and Ami says, "I hope not. There is so much potential in the technology."

Mina says, "And VRMMOs are just plain fun."

Lita says, with a nod, "Yeah, no joke."

Hotaru then asks, looking at the television screen, "Who is that lady?" Everyone then looks at the television and they see Kyouko on the screen causing Asuna's eyes to widen.

Kazuto says, "She looks familiar…"

Asuna says, weakly, "M-Mother…" Everyone else looks at Asuna in shock and they look at the television screen that's showing Asuna's mother.

Mina says, nervously, "Oh, boy."

End Flashback; Return to the Present

Back in the present, Asuna tells her mother, "It looks like you were being mobbed by the reporters."

Kyouko says, plainly, "What did you expect after what happened with Sugou? After that stunt that he pulled…"

Asuna tells Kyouko, interrupting, "Mother, what happened wasn't a 'stunt'. He had taken three hundred people that went through two years in a digital prison and not only imprisoned them, but he experiment on them in something that is a crime against humanity. I was his prisoner and I had to take his taunting, his jeers, and all sorts of 'insults', despite it not being my physical body, for two months. He is a monster and a coward in which my brother and I tried to war you about…through it is understandable why you and father didn't believe me. We were children. And Sugou's family and our family have been friends for a long time. I just wished that they didn't have to suffer with what Sugou had done." Asuna sighs as she remembers that after what happened with Sugou's defeat and the complete revelation of what he had done, the public outrage and horror was just as much as what happened with SAO with the families of the three hundred victims of Sugou's actions, despite the victims not remembering it and there was no permanent damage done, damaged 'reconciliation' which is the reason why RCT Progress, the Full-Dive division of the main RCT Industry, had to close down. Sugou's family, despite being cleared of any connection to Sugou's currently vast crimes, were fearful of their lives and with government assistance, they were evacuated out of Tokyo and into the countryside with their location being undisclosed for obvious reasons.

Kyouko says, her eyes intense, "Yes, but it makes me wonder why only Kayaba's parents suffered such an indignity."

Asuna says, pleading, "Mother, please…" Asuna asks, "This isn't just about my grades, is it?"

Kyouko tells Asuna, in a bit of a dangerous tone, "Don't…"

Asuna tells Kyouko, "Mother, what is it about Serena that you don't like?"

Kyouko says, plainly, "She has nothing to do with this."

Asuna says, "You keep saying that, but I know better, mother. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here today."

Kyouko says, "You keep saying…"

Asuna says, protesting, "It is the truth! Plenty of those that survived SAO will say that they lived because of her!" Asuna asks, "Is this because of what happened with Sugou and the backlash to our family because we were closely associated with him?"

Kyouko says, sternly, "Asuna…"

Asuna says, ignoring her mother, "Serena-chan and her friends didn't do to that to hurt us! They did it to stop that fiend, Sugou! In fact, Serena-chan was the most vocal to my father about his retirement! He and Kirito-kun, both, protested to father about retiring as head of the company! They said that they needed his leadership after the debacle of the original ALO, but father stayed firm with his decision! If anyone is to blame, it is Sugou, who is getting what he deserved after all the horrors that he committed!" FYI: Recently, Sugou is starting to serve a life-sentience in prison for the crimes what he did with the original ALO. With all of the evidence mounted against him, he attempted an insanity plea to get out of prison, but thanks to testimony especially with Asuna and others, Sugou was deemed sane and due to the fact that he has performed unethical human experimentation, Sugou was formally charged with crimes against humanity and was tired in an international court. Asuna asks, curiously, "Is this about that article…?"

But then Kyouko interrupts by stating, sternly, "Asuna, that's enough!" Asuna flinches from her mother's tone and Kyouko says, sternly, "I told you that doesn't concern this! You have talent! You know what incredible pains that your father and I have gone through to bring out that talent to the fullest. And then you lost two years to that crazy game…I wouldn't be saying this to you if you were an ordinary child. But you're not ordinary, are you? It would be a sin to let that talent you have go untapped. You have the ability to go to a great college and receive a first-class education…and that's what you ought to do. You can take your talents to the government or a business or you can stay in school and make a living in academia. I'm not going to interfere with your choice, but the one thing that I'm not going to allow you is completely abandon those opportunities especially because of them…"

However, this strikes a cord in Asuna, knowing exactly WHO her mother is talking about, and she says, "But you don't even know them!" Kyouko was about to retort, but she stops when she sees Asuna's eyes, a fire…a dominating fire burning in them, and Asuna says, continuing, "You know, there isn't such a thing as hereditary talent. When I was younger, I thought that getting into a college and finding a good job was all there was to life! Get into a good high school just because…getting into a good college just because…and getting a good job…just because…Well, I'm different. 'Just because' isn't a good reason anymore. And don't tell me that I'm 'limiting my options' or anything. It seems like you are limiting my options...just because of my career…or should I say, YOUR career, mother."

Kyouko retorts, sternly, "Now, you see here…!"

Asuna yells out, with her own stern tone, "NO, you see here, mother! Do you remember that man that you forced me to see over New Year's? I don't know what sort of story that you fed him, but, to him, it seem like we were already engaged. You haven't learned a thing, have you? Remember, we just talked about your previous pick that hurt so many and nearly destroyed RCT. And before you say anything, yes, father became enamored with him and even I have to admit this, but he is also a decent actor. He had father fooled and he had fooled others. Serena, my brother, and I were among the few that can see through the façade. When he dropped that façade that Kirito-kun saw him for what he truly was. However, you are the 'main force' that made him my finance, not father." Kyouko felt like that she got a major slap in the face from her own daughter because she was exactly right.

But Kyouko regains her composer and she says, her voice not losing the coolness and sternness behind it, "However, Yuuya is safer since he isn't as ambitious or forceful. But that's the issue right now. Your future is. Now, listen here, you have to understand, your father and I just want you to be happy. From the moment that we picked out your kindergarten, that's been only our concern. You might have suffered a trip up, but you can still recover. You can still have the most brilliant career, if you just put in the effort."

Asuna thinks in her mind, _"The best career for you, not me."_ Asuna says, "I think about the transfer…"

Kyouko says, "Good. You have next week to decide."

However, Asuna then says, interrupting, "However, I should let you know now." When Kyouko looks at Asuna, she says, "SHE is better than you…better than me…better than before of us. Even if I get the best 'career' that you desire, Serena is going to rise high above me. Serena and Kirito-kun, both, because they are strong. You and I, at one time, only cared about ourselves and what we want. Serena NEVER did. She only cared about others and that's why she is better than us. She is a hero and her star is going to shine brighter than ours. She and Kirito-kun know who they are and they are proud of it, not like someone who is ashamed of their own mother and father because they were simply farming family rather than rich famous house of privilege." Asuna then gets up from her seat and starts to leave the room, leaving a flabbergasted Kyouko, who, while she doesn't show it in her expression, felt like she got a major 'gut check'.

Kyouko shouts out, strongly and a bit angrily, "Asuna, come here!" However, Asuna is already out of the room in which she slams the door, hard. Kyouko thinks in her mind, exasperated, _"What is with that girl?! Why doesn't she understand? She has vast chances…chances that I never had. Why does she waste it because him? Because of HER? What is so special about them? He doesn't come from any exceptional family and while her father is excellent journalist…like it or not, there is nothing special about her. She isn't going to achieve that greatness that I know that she has staying with them especially with her. So, she saved her life once? She surely repaid that debt. She isn't going to achieve her greatness by babying sitting her. Why doesn't she damn well understand?! What is so special that she can make her lash out at her own mother like this?!"_ Kyouko's mind then focuses on a certain Moon Princess that we know and she then sees an image of her eyes causing Kyouko to blink several times in rapid succession. Meanwhile, with Asuna, she is back in her room and automatically turned off the light and head in which Asuna shut off the environment control system. She then throws herself on the bed and starts the cry on the pillow.

A voice in her head says, **"You think that you are a swordsman? Just because you weren't half-bad at swinging around a little digital sword in a stupid game? What good is that going to do you in the real world? You are right! You are nothing compared to Serena! She is freaking Sailor Moon for crying out loud! She is a hero! She is out there, every day and every night, protecting people from monsters and yokai! What are you doing? Cheering for her on the sidelines? Yeah, you're right! She is better than both you and your mother! You may have been on the frontlines of that death game, but not only was Serena, she was also risking her ass saving others at the same time! Kirito said that you were strong, but only 'over there' while Serena is strong in both worlds! What can you do outside of the 'virtual world'?"** Asuna can't help to feel that 'voice' had a point. What was the point of being here, in 'reality', when she can only be her 'true self' in VR? Kazuto and Serena seemed to possess the same will that they had gained in SAO especially Kazuto since he told him that his future goals were that of a developer and not a player. Kazuto told her that he wanted to create a man-machine interface that's closer and more 'intimate' in connection than the current full-dive technology. And he was active in his work to do that. In Asuna's mind, Kazuto is heading down his goal.

With Serena, Asuna was shocked to learn that in the thirty-first century, Serena was going to be the one of the two rulers of the whole planet as Neo-Queen Serenity with Darien, as King Endymon, as her husband with the fact that Rini AKA Sailor Neo Moon, formally Sailor Mini-Moon, is her daughter. The fact that she met Serena's future daughter LONG before she was born is still shocking to her. However, despite this, Serena says that the future is like clay, not set in stone, meaning that it could change at any time and Serena said that if she is going to be the ruler of the future, it will happen…but only on her OWN MERIT and not just because it is 'supposed' as the heiress to the Moon Kingdom and just because she is the beloved of the heir to the throne of the whole of the planet Earth AKA Darien Shields/Tuxedo Mask/Endymon, in which Darien said that he isn't focused on being a ruler, but being a doctor and the best doctor that he can be. Serena isn't completely sure what she wants, but she doesn't dictate what her 'supposed future' has in store for her, Serena plans to get with her own hands, something that her future daughter encourages, which isn't just out of any pity for what she went through in SAO, and not just 'follow the path that she was given'. The strength of Kazuto's and Serena's convictions to forge their own futures makes Asuna feel worse and feel fear that Kazuto will distance himself from her due to her weakness with Serena doing the same causing her to cry out their names, both real and SAO/ALO names, before she falls into a deep sleep for the night.

 _ **January 6, 2026, Tokyo, Juuban District**_

Within the Juuban District, we are now inside of the apartment home of none other than Darien Shields, who isn't living alone at this moment, because this is where we find none other than our Moon Princess, Serena Tsukino AKA Sailor Moon, sitting in front of a computer screen and giving off a slight sneeze.

Darien, after taking a drink of water, looks at Serena and he asks, "Are you okay?"

Serena says, with a nod, "Yeah. I just sneezed." Serena then holds her right hand over her heart and she thinks, _"But I've got a feeling that someone that I know is in pain. What is this feeling?"_

Darien asks, curiously, "So, what are you doing?"

Serena says, "Looking up, Yuuki."

Darien asks, curiously, "Yuuki? You mean Asuna or her family?"

Serena says, shaking her head, "No. Yuuki 'in there'."

Darien asks, realizing something, "You mean 'Absolute Sword'?"

Serena says, with a nod, "That's right."

Darien says, "It is still bothering you, isn't it? I can't blame you. Her ability seems…beyond other players."

Serena says, with a nod, "Yes, she does."

Darien asks Serena, "What are you thinking?"

Serena asks Darien, "Is it obvious?"

Darien tells Serena, with a smirk, "Do I really have to answer that question, Meatball Head?" Serena gives an annoyed pout and Darien says, "Despite being new, she is doing really well. At first, you would think that you can explain it being a transfer, but the ability that she had shown even through she is new to ALO…"

Serena says, "Her ability is far beyond any player. She adapted to ALO close to the instant that she got there. She may have been in similar VRMMO games, but ALO is unique with the flight engine and aerial combat in the manner that it is."

Darien says, "And she adapted so well, so, quickly as if it was…"

Serena says, finishing for Darien, "Natural for her."

Darien asks Serena, "What are you thinking Serena?"

Serena says, with a sigh, "She matched Leafa and I even when we went all-out."

Darien asks, "But didn't you say that she couldn't be a SAO survivor?"

Serena says, with a nod, "That's right. Like Kazuto and I mentioned, if she was part of SAO, she would have had the Duel Blades or Mimic Skills, not us. At least, that's what I feel."

Darien asks, curiously, "Then what is Yuuki?"

Serena says, "That's a good question."

 _ **January 7, 2026, ALO, New Aincrad, Floor 24**_

Within New Aincrad, we are back on the twenty-fourth floor where we are on the southern shore of a little island just north of the main town of Panareze in which we find Kirito and Asuna together where Usagi flies in on them.

Usagi calls out, "Kirito! Asuna!"

Asuna yells out, seeing Usagi, "Usagi-chan!"

As Usagi lands on the ground, Kirito asks Usagi, "Hey, Usagi, what's up?"

Usagi responds, "Just wanted to see what you are up to."

Asuna tells Usagi, "We were just talking."

Usagi asks, curiously, "About what?"

Asuna asks Kirito, "Well, I was wondering: Kirito-kun, do you remember the first time that you came to my lace in Selmburg?"

Kirito says, nervously, "I don't mean to brag, but I'm not good at not remembering things…"

Usagi tells Kirito, plainly, "That's not something to brag about Kirito."

Kirito gives a nervous look and Kirito says, nervously, "However, I do remember something very vividly."

Asuna asks, curiously, "Really?"

Kirito says, with a smile, "Of course. Remember, I had just gotten that ultrarare food item and you coked it into a stew for me. Oh, man! That meat was delicious! I still think about it sometimes!"

Asuna yells out, annoyed while giving a pout, "Great! So, all you remember is the food?"

Usagi tells Asuna, with a smile, "That would be Kirito for you."

Asuna tells Usagi, with a smirk, "Don't get me started, Usagi-chan. I heard from your friends, your fellow Scouts, about your 'binges' in which you shouldn't talking about Kirito-kun when you eat two picnic baskets of food at one time!"

Usagi gives a nervous yelp and Kirito tells Usagi, "She has got you there." Kirito asks Asuna, "By the way, Asuna, since we are building up a good stockpile of Yrd, when they update to the sixties and we get up there, do you want to get a place in Selmburg again?"

Asuna responds, shaking her head, "No, I'm fine. It wasn't as if everything was sunshine and rainbows when I was living there. We should use that money to help Agil open his store in Algade again."

Kirito says, annoyed, "Great. The return of the business that can squeeze blood from a stone. If I invest in him, I'm charging an arm and a leg to interest…"

Usagi says, annoyed, "Kirito, you are terrible!"

Asuna says, with a nod, "I'll say!" Soon after, the three of them giggle and laugh in which they notice a large group of players flying towards a certain area.

Usagi asks, "Is it time already?"

Asuna says, with a nod, "Guess we need to get going."

Kirito tells Asuna, a bit nervously, "Asuna, if you are going to fight the Absolute Sword…I guess, just…it'll be tough. Seriously."

Usagi tells Kirito, "Kirito, she already knows how you lost to Absolute Sword and how Leafa and I tied with her even when we went 'all-out'."

Kirito's eyes widen and Asuna says, "You know that I couldn't envision you losing, Kirito-kun, despite resetting your stats after you saved me from Sugou."

Kirito says, "There are plenty of folks that are tougher than me by now. It is just…this Absolute Sword is on another level."

When Asuna looks at Usagi, Usagi nods her head and Asuna asks Kirito, "Kirito-kun, Leafa mentioned that you had a little conversation in the middle of your duel with Absolute Sword. What did you talk about?"

Usagi and Kirito become a bit anxious, which Asuna notices, and Kirito responds, nervously, "Basically, I said: 'You're a complete and total resident of this world, aren't you?' And the answer I got was a smile and an unbelievable quick thrust. It was…faster than should be possible…"

Asuna asks, confused, "A total resident of this world? Meaning, like, someone without a real life?"

Kirito responds, shaking his head, "No. I wasn't speaking about a single VRMMO world, but the Seed Nexus as a whole…Actually, not that, either. I guess I was implying more like…a child of the full-dive environment itself."

Asuna asks, still confused, "What does that mean?"

Usagi tells Asuna, "I think that you should go and experience Absolute Sword for yourself."

Kirito says, with a nod, "That's a good idea. Seeing and feeling is better than explaining, Asuna."

Just then a familiar female voice says, "There you are!" Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi look to see Mamoru, Dai, Akari, Lisbeth, Leafa, and Silica.

Dai asks, with a smile while looking at Kirito and Asuna, "Is our princess with our two lovebirds ready to go?"

Kirito and Asuna blush and Leafa tells Dai, with an annoyed look, "You really love to do that?"

Akari playfully punches Dai's arm and she says, "Dai-kun, you are royalty too, you know that? So, stop teasing them."

Dai says, with a smile, "Well…maybe." Leafa gives an annoyed pout while Akari gives Dai another playful slap in which all of them get to their feet, bring out their wings, and they take to the air with Yui, in her pixie form, coming out of one of Kirito's coat pockets and takes to the air with them. They arrive on the island where Kirito, Leafa, and Usagi fought against Yuuki and that's where they find a group of the others are waiting for them along with a massive crowd with the sounds of a one-on-one duel being heard.

Taichi says, "About time!"

Asuna says, nervously, "Sorry!" Once they joined up with the others, just then they see a single player fall from the sky and land on the ground with a nasty 'thud'. When the smoke and dust caused by the impact clears, they see a male Salamander lay splayed on the ground and he lies there before he quickly sits him.

He shakes his head, regaining his focus, and he yells out, "I give! I surrender! I resign!" The end-of-duel fanfare for ALO starts to play and that's followed by a loud round of applause in which Asuna hears about Absolute Sword's sixty-seventh victory. Soon enough, Asuna tries to find the Salamander's opponent and she is shocked to see none other than Yuuki land in which she gives a theatrical bow in front of everyone.

Asuna asks, elbowing Lisbeth, "Um, Liz?"

Usagi thinks in her mind, with a sigh, _"Well, here we go."_

Asuna yells out, grabbing Lisbeth by the collar, "The Absolute Sword is a GIRL!"

Lisbeth asks, nervously, "What? Didn't I say that?"

Asuna says, "No, you didn't! On, in fact…"

But before she can look at Kirito, Usagi tells Asuna, "Kirito didn't go easy on her. He went 'full out' on her…at least as 'full out' while 'playing a game'."

Asuna says, with a sigh, "If you say so, Usagi-chan, I know that I can trust your word." Kirito gives a nervous look, as he feels insulted in one form or another, with Leafa, his sister, giving him a comforting pat on the back.

Dai tells Asuna, "Trust us, don't let her looks fool you."

Leafa says, "These people already know that she is no joke. Sixty-seven wins, two ties, and ZERO losses does make a statement."

Asuna says, nodding her head in agreement and understand, "Well, you do have a point, Leafa-chan." Asuna thinks in her mind, _"Especially if she tied with you and Usagi-chan when you went 'all-in' on her. It is just hard to imagine…"_

Yuuki asks, curiously, "So, who's next?"

Lisbeth tells Asuna, with a sly smile, "Well, go on."

Asuna responds, nervously, "W-Wait…I need to get my mind back in gear…"

Lisbeth says, slyly, "Oh, you'll get that in no time once you fight her. Now, get going!" Asuna yelps as she is pushed forward by Lisbeth's push and she has to use her wings not to fall down the ground on her butt in which she finds herself looking at Yuuki herself.

Yuuki asks, curiously, "Oh, do you want to fight, Miss?"

Asuna responds, nervously, "Sure, I guess…"

Yuuki replies, excitedly, "Okay!"

As soon as they take their positions, preparing to start the duel, Asuna asks, "So, are there any rules to the duel?"

Yuuki replies, cheerfully, "Of course. You can use all the magic and items you want. I'll only be using this." Yuuki pats the hilt of her sword and seeing Yuuki's innocent show of confident, Asuna can feel her competitive part of her nature stirring. Yuuki then asks, "Oh, right. Do you prefer fighting on land or in the air?"

Asuna was taken aback by Yuuki's question and she asks, surprised, "You're fine with either one?" Yuuki gives a grin and nods her head causing Asuna to be surprised by the innocent nature of her grin and nod causing Asuna to say, "On the ground then."

Yuuki says, "Okay! Jumps are allowed, but no using your wings!" Yuuki, who still had her imp wings still out, causes them to vanish and Asuna does the same in which Asuna, checking out Yuuki, noticing her 'guild tag' over her HP bar visible to her eyes. Soon after, a game window notifying her of an incoming duel appears in front of her and Asuna notices Yuuki's name in it.

Asuna thinks in her mind, _"Yuuki…"_ Asuna then looks at the bottom of the window and notices the three kinds of duels: First-strike mode, where the first clean hit ends the fight, half-finish mode, where the duel ends when one player or another goes into the yellow zone or below, and finally, full-finish mode, where the duel ends when one player's HP hits zero. After choosing full-finish mode and hitting the 'okay' button, the duel window vanishes and the ten-second countdown appears in which the two of them draw their swords and get into their stances. Asuna takes a deep breath and when the countdown hits zero, the word 'duel' flashes between them and Asuna takes the first strike and closes the distance between herself and Yuuki dodges the first two strikes in which Asuna expected that, but she knows that the third strike will be possible to dodge. However, when the third strike seems to about to hit, Yuuki's sword moves like a blur and knocks the tip of Asuna's rapier away from Yuuki just enough for the strike to avoid hitting Yuuki's avatar causing Asuna to be so surprised since she didn't realize that her attack was parried until after her rapier gone past Yuuki's avatar. Yuuki then struck back fast and Asuna barely manages to dodge in which blade barely grazed Asuna's chest. Asuna leaps back and when she regains her footing, she realizes that Dai had been right to say not to 'let her looks fool you' in which she mentally apologizes to Kirito for thinking that he went easy on her being a girl and all.

Just then the voice in her head comes back with, **"Oh, now, you're a warrior? In a stupid little game…while being with real warriors that put their lives on the line."** Asuna mentally shakes the voice to silence and takes stock of the situation as she closes her eyes and focuses. Asuna takes a stance and putting her rapier in which when she opens her eyes, Asuna has a deadly serious expression on her face and when Yuuki sees this, like a signal, her smile and cheerful expression on her face is gone replaced by her own serious look. The two of them attack each other and when their swords clash, they made a loud 'clang' and create a small shockwave that sends dust and dirt all around. The two of them continue at an intense and high-speed pace in which, at one point, Yuuki's sword glows with a sword skill where it clashes with Asuna's rapier where it causes a violet shockwave to surge away from behind Asuna. Asuna counters with her own skill causing a blue shockwave this time to be skid through behind Yuuki causing everyone to yelp as shockwaves bombard the island.

Yamato says, "Whoa!"

Takeru says, with a nod, "Yeah, bro. They are serious now."

Miyako says, nodding her head, "No freaking kidding!"

Minako says, with a grin, "That's what's making it exciting! Berserk Healer versus Absolute Sword!"

Hino says, annoyed, "You know that Asuna abhors that nickname, Mina-chan."

Usagi thinks in her mind, _"Asuna…"_ Asuna and Yuuki continue their intense fight where their blows manage to nick them, at one point or another, causing their HP to slowly go down. At one point, their next clash cause them to be so close that they were practically touching and it is at this point where Asuna strikes Yuuki in the waist by her free hand causing a brief stun effect. This was due to the Martial Art skill that she had learned, but unlike Kirito and Usagi, who learned the skill in SAO, Asuna learned the Martial Arts skill in ALO. Makoto, who also had the skill, told Asuna on how to get it: From a special training hall in Gnome territory, which was confirmed by Agil. Due to the fact that she learned that skill, her attack carried a stun effect when it normally would not. Asuna then unleashes her **Quadruple Pain** , the four-part Rapier Sword Skill, on Yuuki. With Asuna at close range, her opponent off-balance, and the speed of her skill, guided by the system, would hit. However, Yuuki glares intently at the tip of Asuna's rapier and what shouldn't be possible, Yuuki's sword lashes out with unimaginable speed and deflects Asuna's rapier four times!

There are flabbergasted looks of shock and Asuna thinks in her mind, stunned, _"She saw my Quadruple Pain?!"_

Hana says, shocked, "My goodness!"

Minako says, flabbergasted, "No way!"

Miyako says, shocked, "She…She just deflected a Sword Skill at point blank range!"

Taichi yells out, in disbelief, "No freaking way!" Soon enough, Asuna sees that Yuuki has unleashed a Sword Skill of her since her obsidian sword gives off a blue-violet glow and she gets hit on what seems like a five-strike combo, but after the fifth strike and Asuna's skill delay ended, Yuuki's Sword Skill combo is still continuing and Asuna knows that she can't escape, so, she decides on a final ditch attack with her OSS Sword Skill, the five-strike **Starry Tear** , and both attacks strike in which Yuuki's HP bar is down to half-way and colored yellow with Asuna being in the red. However, Asuna notices that Yuuki's sword is still glowing and realizes that she is being struck with the 11-hit OSS Sword Skill combo that's being waged by Yuuki! Asuna closed her eyes, preparing for the finishing blow, but that blow never comes. Asuna looks to see the sword stopped in front of her and revealing that Yuuki just canceled the skill.

As Asuna looked wide-eyed, Yuuki lowered her sword and Yuuki patted Asuna's shoulder with her free hand and gave her a dazzling grin as she says, "Yes, you're very good! I've decided on you!"

Asuna was taken aback and she couldn't speak for several moments in which she tells Yuuki, nervously, "What…Err…what about the duel…?"

Yuuki responds, "That was enough to satisfy me. Or did you want to keep going to the finish?" Asuna doesn't respond from the shock and surprise of the situation and Yuuki says, continuing, "I've been looking for someone that struck me as just right. I finally found you! So, do you have some free time still?"

Asuna replies, nervously, "Uh, yes. I'm free."

Yuuki then says, excitedly, "Then come with me for a bit!" Yuuki then puts her sword, away, and extended a hand. Confused, Asuna can't help to put her sword away and take the hand. When Asuna does so, Yuuki extends her wings.

Asuna says, nervously, "Um, hang on." Asuna then extends her wings and Yuuki, still grinning, drags Asuna out into the sky.

Just then Lisbeth's voice shouts out, "Wait! Where are you going Asuna?!" As she is being dragged upward by Yuuki, Asuna looks to see Lisbeth, with her hands to her mouth, looking up with the others while most of them had surprised looks on their faces through some, like Kirito, had expression that said that they expected this to happen.

Asuna shouts out, nervously, "Um, I'll get in touch later!" Asuna then yelps as she is dragged away by Yuuki, leaving a lot of other players, including her own friends, surprised, confused, and/or both.

With the others, Haruka says, "I saw this coming."

A lot of the others look at Haruka and Tomoe asks, "You did?"

Haruka says, with a nod, "Yeah, firefly. It seemed like this girl wasn't just challenge other players just for a challenge through it might have been part of it. She was looking for something…or in this case, I think a certain kind of someone." Haruka says, looking at Kirito, "I'm sure that you already figured that out."

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yep."

Silica asks, surprised, "You knew Kirito-kun?"

Kirito says, "Well, I figured it out." Kirito says, looking at the others, "And I'm sure more than Haruka and I figured out Yuuki-san's intentions."

Sam says, with a nod of his head, "Yeah, I felt that Yuuki-san was looking a certain player."

Kendo says, "By the looks of it, she wanted a strong player."

Taichi asks, curiously, "Wait! If she was looking for just a strong player, she would have chosen you, Leafa, and Usagi. But she didn't! There is more to this, isn't there?"

Leafa says, a bit nervously, "We kind of figured out her secret. I don't fully understand what's going on, but I think that big brother and sis have a better idea."

Makoto asks Usagi, "You do?"

Usagi says, nervously, "Well…"

Hino says, sternly, "Yes, you do! I know that tone, Meatball Head! Now, spill!"

Kirito then says, "Usagi and I have a very good idea, but we aren't completely sure…yet."

Silica asks, curiously, "Completely sure about what?"

Kirito says, looking at Dai and Akari, "Actually, we need to talk to Dai and Akari first."

Akari asks, curiously, "Us?"

Kirito says, with a nod, "Yes. To confirm something."

Usagi asks Dai and Akari, "Do you mind?"

Dai says, with a shrug, "Not at all."

Miyako asks, curiously and a bit annoyed, "Hey, why not talk about it with us?"

Kirito says, "We don't want to be giving or implying any weird ideas."

Usagi asks Dai and Akari, "Can we talk?"

Dai says, with a shrug, "No problem."

Kirito tells the others, "Sorry."

Lisbeth tells Kirito, with a shrug, "Fine, but you had better let us in the big secret sooner or later."

Usagi says, with a nervous smile, "We'll try." Soon after, Usagi, Kirito, Dai, and Akari take off to an area where they can talk in private. When they are alone, the four of them look at each other.

Kirito asks Dai, "So, what do you think?"

Dai says, with a nod, "Yeah, you have a point."

Usagi asks, "Are you sure?"

Akari says, "Our situation was different, but we can be pretty sure."

Kirito asks, curiously, "Pretty sure?"

Dai says, with a sigh, "Okay, VERY sure."

Usagi asks, curiously, "But wait! Isn't THAT used…?"

Akari says, with a nod, "Yes. The ones that were used to save us were advanced modified versions, but while they can heal even up to fatal injuries as long as we are still alive, they can't go around curing illnesses."

Dai says, nodding his head, "Big time."

Kirito says, "That means…"

Akari asks Kirito, "What is it, Kirito?"

Usagi asks Kirito, "Kirito, do you think that Yuuki is here…?"

Kirito tells Usagi, with a plain tone, "I'm not sure, Usagi."

Usagi asks Kirito, "But what should we tell Asuna?"

Kirito tells Usagi, with a sigh, "I really don't know, Usagi."

Dai asks, curiously, "Um, mind filling us in?"

However, Kirito and Usagi don't respond as the two of them look towards the direction that Yuuki dragged Asuna way in which Usagi thinks in her mind, with concern, _"Asuna…"_ On the meanwhile, we see Yuuki flying while dragging Asuna by her arm in which the two of them are heading towards Floor 27 of New Aincrad with Asuna confused on what's happening and what's to come…

 **The end…for now, but to be continued…**

That's the end of the next segment of this series of stories and I would like to make thing a bit clear. You may be thinking: Asuna's mother hates Serena because she is the niece of the one that trapped Asuna in SAO? WRONG! It is more complex than that and if you read this chapter carefully, you may be thinking another reason, right? Well, I'm making a guess on what you are thinking and I say that you are wrong. The 'complexity' between Asuna, Serena, and Asuna's mother is the fact that Asuna's mother doesn't truly understand Asuna's and Serena's 'relationship' with each other. Asuna's mother misinterprets Asuna's friendship with Serena as something else. What do I mean? Well, you are going to have to read to find out, folks! Keep reading and review, but no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


	26. Gamers' Remorselessness

Well, we are in the next story of Gaiden and this one has a unique 'twist'. What do I mean? That would be giving away spoilers and I'm trying not to do that, folks. So, you are going to have to read and find out, everyone! Now, once again, like the previous times, I must give thanks and credit to **Belletiger** and **Kanius** as well as **Kanius'** **YuYuGiDigiMoon** fanfiction series, especially his _**The Invasion of the Rajita**_ _story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that's a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Kanius**_ and his **YuYuGiDigiMoon** series, including this author's **Dawn of Chaos** story, and **LazerWulf** for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto's sister among other things. _I would also like to give thanks and credit to_ _ **Matty G91**_ _and this author's story of_ _ **Kamen Rider Lunar**_ _for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization as well as the idea of Darth Revan Sammy Tsukino, the other alternate versions of said character, and the basic plot of this one-shot._

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 **I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat,** **Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed** **, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen's Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin's Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei,** **Monster Musume** **, Karin/Chibi Vampire,** **12 Beast** **, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction!** **Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō,** **Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot,** **Digimon is owned/licensed** **by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by** **ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō!**

 **Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!**

 **Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in these series of stories!**

 **Prelude:** A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this 'game death' to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the 'tale' of this floating castle, its 'history', and its 'aftermath', but they weren't told…until now. These are those stories…

 **Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden**

 **Story 26: Gamers' Remorselessness**

Note: This story takes place after the events of **World's Song**.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

Within the area around Akihabara Station in the Chiyoda Ward of Tokyo, which has become known as Akihabara, which has become famous as a center for Japanese anime, manga, and computer goods, we find our Digidestined and their Digimon partners assembled together in the center of Akihabara.

Yolei asks, curiously, "Isn't anyone getting a feeling of déjà vu?"

TK tells Yolei, with a smile, "Come on, Yolei! We're not going to be attacked by energy sucking vampires again!"

Yolei tells TK, plainly, "You never know with us, TK."

Tai says, with a smile, "Yolei has a point."

Kari says, with a nod, "I've got to agree with that."

Matt says, with a grin, "Yeah, with our luck and all."

Davis says, with a smirk, "Nice outlook guys." Kari giggles as she kisses Davis on the cheek causing Tai's eyebrow to twitch.

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, "Hey, there!" The Digidestined and their Digimon partners then look only to TK to get nearly tackled to the ground by his girlfriend, Mina Aino AKA Sailor Venus.

Mina says, excitedly, "Hey, sweetie!"

TK asks Mina, "Geez, Mina-chan, have you been taking lessons from Strea on how to tackle people?"

Mina says, with a grin, "Maybe."

Just then another female voice booms out, "Or maybe it is the other way around." Everyone then looks to see the rest of the Sailor Scouts, minus two certain Moon Princesses, and SAO survivors joining up with them.

Yolei says, excitedly, "Hey, guys!"

Asuna says, "Hi, Yolei-chan!"

Davis says, "There seems to be several people missing especially two certain Moon Princess."

Several members of the 'new arrivals' get a bit nervous and Hotaru says, "I do wonder where our himes are and where Darien is."

Kazuto says, plainly, "Actually, I do know where Sugu and Serena could be."

Keiko asks Kazuto, "You do?"

Kazuto says, with a sigh, "Today is sixth of November after all." A few of our heroes and heroines get confused, but then the majority of them get the idea especially those that are SAO survivors in which the rest quickly figured out what Kazuto is implying.

Rika says, nervously, "Oh, yeah."

Lita says, nervously, "Three years…"

Asuna says, "We've been back for around nine months now."

Tai says, "That can be a good thing since it means that we are getting readjusted back to our lives in 'this world'."

Ken says, "I believe that plenty of us can agree that it is a REALLY GOOD thing, Tai."

Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and Yolei asks, "So, you figured THAT'S where she has gone to."

Kazuto says, with a nod, "I believe so, Yolei. Most likely, Darien, Sugu, and even Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura are keeping an eye on her."

Lita says, with a sigh, "The girl has got to stop doing this to herself."

Raye says, "Can you really blame her? It hasn't been even a year and she spent two years in a prison filled with A LOT of pain, suffering, and death. A nightmare caused by someone that she REALLY trusted and loved once. It was a betrayal that was a knife to her heart. The whole experience can matched to all of the wars that humans fought in history and like the veterans that survived those wars, there are going to be scars."

Amara says, with a nod of agreement and understanding, "Scars that will take a long time to hear…some…not at all." Plenty of the others can't help to nod their heads in agreement.

Hotaru asks, concerned, "Will she be okay?"

Kazuto says, with a smile, "Serena has found way to pick herself up again. And I'm sure that she will be here soon enough. I'm sure that she wouldn't want us obsessively worrying about her."

Asuna says, with a nod and smile, "You're right, Kirito-kun. She will just make herself more worried if we do so."

Davis says, with a grin, "Yeah, let's go and enjoy ourselves! She'll join up with us soon enough and we'll have a blast!"

Kari says, with a nod, "You're right, Dai-kun."

Rika says, with a smile, "Nothing can keep our girl down." Plenty of the others nod their heads in agreement and all of them start to head off through quite a few of them, namely Kazuto and Asuna especially, are glancing in another direction as they headed off.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo**_

Elsewhere in Tokyo, namely the rooftop of the former headquarters building of Argus, we find none other than Valkyrie Sailor Moon standing on the rooftop where she puts down a bouquet of flowers down on the roof itself.

Sailor Moon thinks in her mind, _"Sorry, but your remains are spread all over the place, I couldn't find a better way to honor you all."_ Sailor Moon gives a brief prayer and when she is done, she then says, seemly to no one, "You know, you might be losing your touches and you need to learn the stealth portion of being a shinobi, Celestial-chan." Sailor Moon then turns in a certain direction to find Valkyrie Sailor Celestial, Tuxedo Mask, Naruto, Valkyrie Sailor Galaxy AKA Hinata Hyuga, and Sakura in front of her.

Sakura says, with a smile, "Maybe you have gotten better."

Naruto asks, with a smirk, "Have been training without us knowing?"

Sailor Celestial says, with a smile, "You know that 'sneaking around' isn't my thing. Since I practice and play kendo, I'm more of a samurai."

Sailor Moon says, with a giggle, "You have a point, Celestial."

Tuxedo Mask says, stepping forward, "Serena…"

Sailor Moon says, with a plain tone, "I know, Darien. But they need to be remembered and while we can't have this dominate our lives, we can't let this be forgotten."

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, "Yeah, no kidding."

Sailor Galaxy says, "Since this is where Argus' headquarters used to be and where the SAO severs were stored…"

Sakura says, with a plain tone and finishing for Sailor Galaxy, "Since it was in SAO where they 'died', this is kind of their grave through their bodies went with their families before going through your nation's traditional funeral rites."

Sailor Moon says, with a nod, "That's right. That's the best way to honor all of them."

Sailor Celestial tells Sailor Moon, "Well, I know that most of them would appreciate this."

Sailor Moon says, with a smile, "Thank you!"

Sakura says, "We should get going."

Sailor Galaxy says, "The others should we waiting for us in Akiba."

Sailor Moon says, "Oh, right."

Naruto says, with a smile, "Well, this time, you won't have to worry about any wacky adventures this time."

Sakura tells Naruto, "Better not say that too much, Naruto. Karma will kick us in the butt if we piss it off."

Naruto says, with a nervous tone, "Yeah, good point, Sakura-chan."

Sailor Galaxy says, with a smile, "I'm sure that everything will be fine."

Sakura says, with a sigh, "Maybe, Hinata, but you have to remember who we are."

Sailor Celestial says, with a sigh, "Don't we know it, Sakura." Soon enough, the group leaves the roof and just afterwards, a person comes onto the roof to find Sailor Moon's flowers where she had put them in memorial of all the good people that died in SAO.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

Returning to Akihabara, the rest of our heroes and heroines are together as Davis is talking with a young man with dark brown-black hair and light brown eyes.

Davis says, amazed, "Awesome!"

The young man tells Davis, "Yeah, Davis. Thanks to the Seed, the studio is going to make an VRMMO version of Mortal Kombat."

Kazuto says, "I bet that it is going to be rough even with the Seed."

The young man says, with a nod, "You said it. We're going to create worlds based on the Mortal Kombat worlds including the main worlds, but the avatars and their various abilities are going to be a chore."

Yolei says, with a nod, "No joke."

TK says, with a smile, "However, I think that it might be great."

Mina says, excitedly, "Yeah! I would love to be like Kitana or Jade!" Mina tells TK, with a sly smirk, "I'm sure that you would love to see me in their outfits."

TK gives a mad blush and Raye says, annoyed, "Cut it out, Mina-chan!"

Davis tells the young man, "Can't wait to see it, bro."

The young man says, with a smile, "Actually, you want to take a look before the beta."

There are plenty of surprised looks and Kazuto asks, curiously, "Really?"

The young man says, with a smile, "Sure."

Tai says, with a smile, "Sounds pretty cool to me."

Ken says, with a plain tone, "This is a pretty ambitious project that the company is making due to Mortal Kombat's level of violence."

The young man says, "Yeah, ever since Mortal Kombat came out back in the nineties of the last century, it has that 'infamous reputation' due to that."

Rika says, with a nod, "No joke."

TK says, with a grin, "And people might not like seeing something similar to blood and guts coming out of their avatars."

The young man says, with a nod and nervous smile, "You have a point there." The young man then leads our heroes and heroines over to a group of screens where one of them displays what looks like Shang Tsung's island, the stage for Mortal Kombat tournaments between Earth realm and Outworld AKA Shao Khan.

Davis says, amazed, "Dude! That's Shang Tsung's island!"

Kazuto says, looking at it and giving a nod, "You have recreated it very well, but then again, since you are the company that makes the Mortal Kombat games, it isn't surprising."

The young man says, with a smile, "Thanks, but it isn't easy as you think even with the Seed giving us a hand."

Mina says, excitedly, "Man! It is like you are there…through since this is going to be a VRMMO, we might get the chance! I can't wait! I want to get in there now!" Just then, the screen turns to static, but before anyone could say or do anything, there are bright flashes coming from the screens.

Amara yells out, annoyed, "You had to open your big mouth, Mina-chan!"

Mina shouts out, nervously, "Hey, this isn't my fault!" Our heroes and heroines yell out as the light swallows them up.

( **Elsewhere; At this moment** )

Elsewhere in Akiba, we find Serena, Darien, Suguha, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata walking through the streets.

Serena says, "This looks familiar."

Suguha tells Serena, with a smile, "Well, we don't have to worry about weird 'energy vampires' this time."

Serena responds, with a nervous smile, "For us, that's a common occurrence and that's the form of youmas."

Suguha says, with a nod, "Yeah, I know. However, lately, the reborn Dark Agency has been taking heavy blows."

Sakura says, with a smirk, "Well, it isn't just your new strength that's helping you know? You've got a brand-new Sailor Scout and her two 'precious people' to thank for that."

Serena says, with a smile, "We know, Sakura."

Naruto says, "Anyway, let's have a blast!" Just then all of them hear what sounds like a detonation and a bright light coming from the distance in which Naruto yells out, "Hey, I didn't mean that literally!" As everyone looks towards the source, they see a bright light coming from the distance.

Darien says, "I don't like the look of that."

Suguha says, seriously, "Neither do I."

Naruto says, seriously, "So, what are we waiting for? Let's move it, believe it!" Immediately, all of them headed off in the direction that they saw the 'bright light'.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Unknown location**_

Asuna groans as she slowly wakes up as she hears a familiar child-like female voice call out, "Momma! Momma, wake up!" Asuna groans as she slowly wakes up and she looks up to see none other than her virtual 'daughter', Yui, in her human form, looking at her.

Asuna asks, weakly, "Y-Yui…?"

As Asuna gets into a sitting position, Yui says, with a smile, "Mommy, I'm glad that you are okay." After Asuna shakes her head to clear it, she realizes that her virtual 'daughter' is in front of her, Asuna gives a shocked look.

Asuna asks, shocked, "Yui?! What are you doing here?!" Asuna then starts to look around and she asks, "Where is here?" Asuna then sees that she and the others, who are also starting to wake up and get on their feet, are on what looks like the inside of a familiar island.

Just then another familiar female voice says, "We don't know, Asuna!" Asuna then looks towards to the source of the voice to find Yuuki, the famous Absolute Sword from ALO, and Strea, Yui's younger sister through she doesn't look like it and looking as she did in SAO with her massive two-handed sword, with them.

Asuna asks, shocked, "Strea? Yuuki?"

Yuuki says, with a nod, "Yep!" Yuuki asks, confused, "What's going on Asuna?"

Strea says, "One minute we were in ALO and minding our own business and the next minute, a freaky light came, and we were here with you!"

Asuna asks, curiously, "A light?"

Yui asks, "Mommy, do you know what's going on? I sense that we are in a virtual world, but not one that I recognize. What is this place?"

Kazuto then says, "I think that I know." When Asuna looks at Kazuto, he asks, "Doesn't this place look familiar to you?"

Amara says, "I know. It looks like the version of Shang Tsung's island that's being developed for the Mortal Kombat VRMMO."

The others start to look around and Yolei asks, stunned, "Wait! Are you saying that we have been transported inside of a still in-development virtual world WITHOUT a Full-Dive device?"

Ken says, with narrowing eyes, "And that means…"

Matt says, plainly, "Trouble."

Gabumon says, with a nod, "With a capital 'T', Matt."

Izzy says, "I don't think that we went through a Digital Gate like the ones that we use to get to the Digital World."

Gatomon says, plainly, "At least, on our side."

Raye says, plainly, "Be careful, everyone." But then Raye's and Amara's spiritual sense with Davis' and Kazuto's 'danger sense' going wild.

Kazuto yells out, "Davis, watch out!" Just then Davis barely dodges what looks like a kunai with a chain attached to the handle of the kunai where it lodges in a tree before the kunai and chain are pulled back where everyone looks to see none other than the infamous NetherRealm wraith, Scorpion AKA Hanzo Hasashi, walking up to them.

Rika asks, stunned, "Holy crap! Is that who I think it is?"

Tai says, "If you are thinking Scorpion, then yeah!"

Scorpion yells out, in his monstrous voice with an angered tone, **"Do not call me that name! I am Hanzo Hasashi! Who are you? Are you the reason that I returned to the form of a wraith?! Answer me, NOW!"** Beads of hellfire burst around Scorpion with the last part of his demand and Yui immediately goes over to her 'mother', Asuna, where Asuna stays in front of Yui.

Just then a male voice responds, **"Indeed, Hanzo Hasashi. In fact, they have a relation with the sorcerer that murdered your clan, your family, and turned into that wraith!"**

Everyone looks around for the voice and Scorpion yells out, **"Quan Chi? They don't look like they have anything to do with that wretched sorcerer, who has finally paid his debt to me and my clan as well as Sub-Zero!"**

The male voice retorts, **"Do you dare risk it? You know as well that things are never what they seem. You sense that they aren't normal especially the man with spiky red hair. You sense the chaotic power with him? He especially needs to be destroyed since he has the greatest connection!"**

Scorpion glares at Davis, who flinches, and he yells out, "Hey, dude, are you going to listen to a mysterious voice in the sky like that?"

Scorpion responds, **"Enough! Your actions will determine your worth! Only through combat will your true colors be revealed! FIGHT!"** Without any hesitation, Scorpion attacks Davis as Scorpion quickly gets over to Davis and Davis barely rolls out of the way of Scorpion's kick attack in which Davis is immediately on the defensive as he blocks Scorpion's punches and kicks while dodging his sword swipes as well as kunai-chain weapon.

Kari says, worriedly, "Dai-kun!"

Kari prepares to go help Davis, but Tai tells Kari, "Stay back, Kari!"

TK says, "This guy doesn't discriminate between men and women. There is only 'enemies' and 'non-enemies' to him!"

Lita says, "Yeah! You are only going to distract him!" Kari stops in her tracks, knowing that they have a point, while Davis continues to fight with Scorpion where he attacks with kunai and chain where Davis dodges the kunai with him grabbing the chain.

Davis yells out, slyly, "Got you!"

A few of the other mentally slap themselves and Kazuto shouts out, "Bad idea!"

Scorpion roars out, **"GET OVER HERE!"** Scorpion then uses inhuman strength to yank Davis towards him and was about bash Davis in the head, hard, but Davis recovers by hitting Scorpion on the left side of his head with a spin kick and knocking Scorpion on the ground, but Scorpion gets back to his feet with ease as if the attack didn't happen at all.

Mimi says, nervously, "Wow. He's tough."

Sora says, plainly, "He is, Mimi."

Mina says, "It is a good thing that Serena, Darien, Suguha, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata weren't with us."

Tai says, "Something tells me that they are having troubles of their own."

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

If Tai knew what was happening back in Akihabara, he would regret about being right in which we find Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Celestial, Naruto, Sakura, and Sailor Galaxy looking around as they see a lot of 'creatures' all around the area and not just any creatures, but none other than living and breathing POKEMON 'infesting' Akihabara.

Sakura says, stunned, "I can't believe this!"

Sailor Celestial says, flabbergasted, "You and me both, Sakura!"

Sailor Moon asks, nervously, "Are we dreaming?"

Tuxedo Mask says, a bit nervously, "I don't think so, Serena."

Naruto says, nervously, "Well, this is…different." As they see, the young kids are excited while the more adult people in the area are in a panic in which Houndoom unleashes its flames causing plenty of cheers and screams.

Sailor Moon says, nervously, "Oh, crap!"

Sailor Celestial says, nervously, "No kidding!"

Naruto then asks, "Um, forgive the pun, but how are we going to 'catch them all'?"

Tuxedo Mask says, "Forgetting the pun, Naruto has a good point. We don't have the ability to contain them…at least in the way in their world."

Sakura says, "Yeah, if try it in the way that you catch wild animals, there is going to be fighting and people are going to get in the crossfire not to mention damage to the area."

Sailor Galaxy asks Sailor Celestial, "Can you use your powers to create the devices that can contain Pokémon, Celestial?"

Sailor Celestial says, "I hope so, Galaxy. I don't want to even think about if something like a legendary Pokémon showed up…"

They hear a powerful bird-like screech and Naruto says, looking in direction of the 'noise', "Um, I don't think we have to wonder anymore." Naruto points in that direction and everyone else looks to see a Zapdos, the legendary electric bird Pokémon appears and with a loud screech, unleashes a powerful electrical attack that causes plenty of nearby electronics to go wild in which plenty of them along with a lot of windows are destroyed in strong explosions.

Sailor Celestial says, nervously, "Me and my big mouth." Naruto and Sailor Galaxy pat Sailor Celestial on the back as they prepared to contain the 'rampage' of realized Pokémon.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Unknown location**_

Returning to the others, we find Davis desperately doing his best to fight off the infamous wraith and Shirai Ryu shinobi, Scorpion, with Davis using his own various abilities to match Scorpion's own supernatural strength, speed, and abilities that's mixed with his shinobi training. Davis uses his Force abilities to predict Scorpion's attacks, increase his speed and agility, and uses telekinetic powers, namely Force Push, to reflect Scorpion's kunai-chan combo as well as Scorpion's hellfire away from him.

Scorpion says, **"You aren't an ordinary human. I don't know what kind of sorcery that you are using, but it won't save you from my wrath!"**

Davis says, with a smirk, "Good thing for me that I'm not using magic then."

Scorpion says, **"You remind me of someone, boy."**

Davis says, annoyed, "Who are you calling a little kid, pal? I'm not some little brat you can kick around!"

Scorpion retorts, **"Compared to me, you are just a boy, boy. And that attitude reminds me of Johnny Cage."**

Davis responds, with a sly smirk, "His good looks and ripping muscles?"

Scorpion says, plainly, **"Yes. You and Cage are alike. His annoying personality."**

Davis gives an annoyed look and Yolei says, plainly, "I've got to admit that he has a point."

Davis overhears Yolei and he yells out, annoyed, "Hey, who's side are you on?!"

Yolei says, "Your side, obviously. I'm just saying he is right to say that you have a similar personality to Johnny Cage: Cocky and always able to piss people off." Davis gives an annoyed look, but focuses his attention to Scorpion, who has continued his assault on Davis. Scorpion then leaps away from Davis and then leaps into the air in which he unleashes his kunai-chain combo at Davis in which he easily leaps back as the kunai-chain goes into the ground.

Davis says, with a smile, "Getting sloppy, pal!"

Just then Davis' and Kazuto's 'danger sense' goes wild and Kazuto yells out, "Don't let your guard down!" Davis gives a confused look, but it was too late as Scorpion's kunai comes out of the ground behind him and Davis screams out in pain as he is impaled through his right knee!

The others gasp when they see this and Kari yells out, horrified, "Dai-kun!"

Scorpion screams out, strongly, **"GET OVER HERE!"** Scorpion yanks the chain connected to his kunai and Davis yelps as he is slammed to the ground while Scorpion yanks the chain off the ground as well as retracted it back to himself causing Davis to be dragged off with it. As he gets closer to Scorpion, Davis quickly summons an Oblivion Keyblade and cuts the chain to escape, however, said NetherRealm wraith charges in to attack, but Davis uses a Force Push to blast him away. Davis then roars out in pain as he yanks the kunai out of his leg, and he remains sitting/lying on the ground due to the injury.

Veemon says, worriedly, "Davis!" Kari and Veemon try to run over to Davis, but they are stopped by a force-field.

Lita asks, confused, "What the?!"

The others run up, hit the force-field, and Mina says, nervously, "Uh oh!"

Agumon asks, "Where did this come from?!"

Gatomon says, "We should have known!" Back with Davis, he groans out from his wound that makes him unable to stand up in which he looks to see Scorpion, back on his feet and looking unhurt, charging back towards him.

Davis says, nervously, "Oh, crap!"

Just then he hears a female voice boom out in his mind, _**"Do you need power?"**_ Davis gives a confused look and then something from the sky crashes down near him with a massive 'thud' causing a good amount of dirt and debris to thrown into the air. When Davis can see what crashed down, he finds a familiar red headband wrapped with a familiar massive hammer with what looks like a dragon engraved on the head and a spike on top.

Davis says, stunned, "No freaking way!"

The others are also shocked, and Mina says, amazed, "Whoa! That's Shao Khan's Wrath Hammer!"

TK asks, curiously, "What's that red band that's wrapped up in it?"

Patamon says, "Got me, TK."

Scorpion says, shocked, **"That's…!"** Scorpion roars out as he charges right at Davis and draws his sword with the intent to kill.

Davis says, lowly, "Ah, man!"

The female voice booms out, _**"Do you have a choice? Take them! Take them!"**_ Davis growls, knowing that he doesn't have a choice, and he grabs the headband and Shao Khan's Wrath Hammer causing him to yell out as they, both, send energy into him.

Kari says, worriedly, "Dai-kun!"

Tai, Ken, and Veemon say in unison, shocked, "Davis!" Scorpion is close to Davis and attempts to cut him in two, but then Davis, his leg injuring managing to heal, lifts Shao Khan's Wrath Hammer and bashes Scorpion in the side of the head, hard, causing to get flung far where he hits with a massive 'crash'! Scorpion struggles to get back on his feet and regain his senses. He manages to do so and leaps back to find Davis, with the red headband wrapped around his forehead, using the Wrath Hammer to destroy the force-field entrapping the others.

Scorpion asks, curiously, **"What are you?!"**

Davis slams the Wrath Hammer into the ground, and he says, turning to look at Scorpion, "The guy that's going to kick your ass! Now, as you would say: GET OVER HERE!" Davis then uses his Force power to flung Scorpion towards him and slams his right fist into Scorpion's face causing him to get send flying into the ground, again, but since Scorpion survived getting hit by Shao Khan's Wrath Hammer, Scorpion manages to get to his feet. Davis tells Scorpion, "Ready for round two?" Scorpion then gets into a defensive stance, his eyes then widen, and he lowers his stance.

Scorpion then says, **"I believe that we have further problems to deal with."** Scorpion then points behind Davis and everyone looks in that direction to find none other than Lui Kang and Kitana, in their 'revenant' forms walking over to them.

Tai says, plainly, "Oh, crap."

Matt says, with a nod and nervous tone, "My sentiments exactly, Tai."

Amara says, plainly, "Ditto."

Lita says, "It is a good thing that Serena, Darien, Suguha, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata aren't here."

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

If Lita knew what was happening in Akihabara, she would be changing her opinion because, as we can see, the area known by the 'nickname', Akiba, is in chaos where we find Sakura fighting against the infamous Akuma from the Street Fighter where Sakura uses her super-strength to match strength with Akuma causing him to stumble backwards.

Akuma gives an evil grin and he yells out, in his classic sinister voice, "Excellent."

Sakura thinks in his mind, nervously, _"Uh oh."_

Akuma says, "You aren't a frail female after all. You have great power." Akuma says, with his classic sneer, "But you insult me by not using your full power!"

Sakura retorts, "Why would I waste my power and time on you?!" Akuma roars out as he is covered in a powerful dark red and black aura causing Sakura to yelp out in fear.

Akuma yells out, strongly, "THEN YOU WILL DIE!" Akuma roars out as he attacks more intensely attacks Sakura in which Sakura yelps as she is BARELY able to hold back the titan of the Street Fighter world. On the meanwhile, Sailor Moon has her own troubles as she is fighting against none other than Sephiroth where Sailor Moon is using two Keyblades, Kingdom Key and Diamond Dust, to fend off Sephiroth and his massive sword.

Sailor Moon thinks in her mind, _"Man! This is déjà vu!"_

Sephiroth says, "You have strange weapons, but they aren't just oversized keys. They are powerful weapons and that means that you are strong. However, young lady…"

Sailor Moon asks, a bit nervously, "However…?"

Sephiroth says, "Despite your ability to wield such power, you haven't proved that you have mastered such power and the ability to defeat me. You are a strong warrior, yes, but I don't see you being strong enough." Sephiroth then engages Sailor Moon in an even more intense swordfight than before, but despite Sailor Moon being hard-pressed, she is able fight pretty much even with Sephiroth. Around this same time, Tuxedo Mask is engaged with none other than the infamous Bowser from the Mario game series.

Tuxedo Mask says, "Personally, I never thought that I would face the main boss monster from the first game series that I played as a child." Tuxedo Mask leaps out of the way of Bowser's flame attack, but there is a loud 'bam' and Bowser is hit on his right side by something causing him and the 'object' that hit him slam into the side of a building with a massive 'crash' putting a significant hole into the building's side. Tuxedo Mask looks in the direction that the 'object' came from and finds Naruto coming over to him.

Naruto asks, curiously, "Really? You played video games as a kid?" Tuxedo Mask gives Naruto an annoyed look that asked: 'Did you just ask that?' Naruto gains a nervous look and he says, rubbing his scalp, "Okay. Never mind." Naruto and Tuxedo Mask then turn in the direction of a roar that they heard in which they see Bowser and none other than an orc for the world of Warcraft emerge from the hole in the building that they were sent into by Naruto, who knocked the orc into Bowser. The two of them glare at each other, but then turn their attention to Tuxedo Mask and Naruto where the two of them get into defensive stances knowing that they will be gunning for them. Elsewhere, we find Sailor Galaxy battling against what is known as the Swarm from the StarCraft universe, but while the good sized horde outnumbers Sailor Galaxy, her Valkyrie Sailor Scout powers, Byakugan, and Tenseigan abilities as well as ninja skills give an OVERWHELMING edge against the Swarm horde through their sheer numbers are keeping Sailor Galaxy on her toes as well as the fact that she also has to help civilians from getting caught by the horde and suffering a 'nasty fate'. But Sailor Celestial doesn't have such a problem, and, in her case, Sailor Celestial might be having it the worst as she is facing what could be called 'titans' with her fighting none other than Shao Khan from Mortal Kombat and Nightmare from Soul Caliber. Sailor Celestial is sent skidding backwards and she uses both swords to fend off Nightmare, who seems to be wielding Soul Edge.

Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, with a stunned tone, _"I thought that he was a nightmare in those games, but to actually fight him in real life…!"_ Sailor Celestial roars out as she manages to push Nightmare backwards, but she then slammed by Shao Khan using a classic shoulder tackle of his causing Sailor Celestial to get slammed into the left side of a parked car causing it to gain a great indent into its side causing her to swords to fall out of her hands as well.

Shao Khan says, in his classic monstrous voice, **"Pathetic, mortal! You wield such great power and yet, you don't use it correctly! You are a toothless worm just like the Elder Gods!"**

Sailor Celestial retorts, strongly, "You want to make a bet on that, _your majesty_?! Because you won't like the royal butt kicking that I can give you!"

Shao Khan responds, not intimated in the least, **"Words! Just pathetic words from a pathetic mortal woman! Your soul is mine!"** Shao Khan brings out his Wrath Hammer and he gives a moment of pause when he looks at it in which he then charges in at super-human speed at Sailor Celestial, but she backflips out of the way and in a flash, she transforms into her Valhallan Valkyrie Sailor Scout form where then Sailor Celestial kicks Shao Khan in the face so hard that not only his helmet is flung at high speed off his face, Shao Khan himself is sent flying through a building at super-sonic speeds, heard by the sonic boom that he produced, where he lands on the street on the other side of the building with a massive 'crash' that sends dirt and debris miles in the air. However, Shao Khan's powerful roar is heard as he bursts through that same building and coming at incredible super-speeds to bring down his Wrath Hammer on Sailor Celestial. He roars out, **"I am Shao Khan, conqueror of worlds! I will not be insulted by a mere sliver of a human female!"** Shao Khan brings his Wrath Hammer down on Sailor Celestial, but she then stops his Wrath Hammer with one hand where the sheer force of the attack is seen as the shockwave shakes the whole area around them and GREATLY cracks the concrete ground around them causing fifteen-foot crater to be formed! Shao Khan asks, shocked, **"What?!"**

Sailor Celestial responds, with a strong tone, "You know what?! I DON'T CARE!" Sailor Celestial then slugs Shao Khan right on the chin and sending him rocketing into the sky at speeds of Mach 5 to more and when he is high enough, Sailor Celestial teleports in front of him and hits him with such a haymaker that he rockets back to the ground where he hits the ground at speeds of Mach 10 and above causing a massive explosion sending dirt and debris hundreds of miles into the sky and tens to hundreds of miles all around the city! When the smoke and dust finally clear up, there is an IMMENSE crater with the unconscious form of Shao Khan in the center. On the meanwhile, Tuxedo Mask creates a mass of thorny vines that entrap Bowser and the orc from Warcraft while Naruto comes in for the attack.

" **Fire Style: Blaze Duo Rasengan!"**

Naruto, with two **Rasengan** infused with fire chakra, slam one fire sphere into each opponent and the two of them roar out as the flame chakra energy rips into the two of them and they are sent flying through 'flame twisters' where they slam into the ground about a mile away where they crash into the ground as a pair of fireballs where they give off explosions of flame and light when they hit.

Naruto says, with a grin, "I bet that's going to hurt!"

Tuxedo Mask says, "Maybe, but we can't let our guard down."

Naruto nods his head and he says, looking at where Shao Khan plowed into the ground, "Geez, Suguha-chan really let him have it!"

Tuxedo Mask says, "When facing someone like Shao Khan, she couldn't hold back at all. You've been here long enough to know who Shao Khan is."

Naruto says, with a smirk, "Hey, who doesn't know about Mortal Kombat? The folks back home call Kurama a demon? Let's have them meet this guy and see who they prefer!"

Tuxedo Mask says, "Trust me, they will prefer Kurama through they may have a choice since Shao Khan would have already killed them and sucked their souls to fuel him." Naruto gives a nervous nod his head and Tuxedo Mask says, "I doubt that he is finished. It takes a lot more to destroy someone like Shao Khan."

Naruto says, nervously, "I'm just hoping that it is enough to keep him down until we find out what the heck is going on here."

Tuxedo Mask says, "Agreed, Naruto." Just then there is a loud female roar of power and Naruto and Tuxedo Mask leap backwards in which Akuma rockets by where he slams into third-floor wall of a building nearby where he leaps a good imprint of himself before he flops down to the ground with a sickening 'thud', but Akuma, slowly, but surely, gets back to his feet.

Forming a familiar sphere of chakra in his right hand, Naruto says, with a grin, "Excuse me." Naruto zips over to Akuma and he yells out, "Hey, butt ugly!"

" **Rasengan!** "

Akuma turns only to get a powerful sphere of chakra slammed in his face causing him to rocket through one side of a building and crashing out another side where he slams into the concrete ground with such force that a significant amount of dirt, dust, and debris is sent hundreds of feet into the air.

Sakura's voice booms, "Hey, I had him!" Naruto and Tuxedo Mask look to see Sakura walking over to them.

Naruto says, with a smile, "I know, Sakura-chan, but the faster that we take out these jerks and morons, the faster that we can help the others!"

Just then Sailor Moon's screams is heard, and Sakura says, seriously and worriedly, "And it looks like they need us!" Naruto, Sakura, and Tuxedo Mask look to see Sailor Moon, whose armor has suffered a few cracks and she has a cut or two on the exposed portions of her 'armored outfit', namely her cheeks, being flung to the ground by Sephiroth!

Tuxedo Mask yells out, worriedly, "Sailor Moon!"

Sailor Moon struggles to regain her senses, but finds Sephiroth's sword, Musamune, at her face and neck in which Sephiroth says, "You have done well, but it is over." But then thorny vines wrap around his sword and his sword arm in which he looks to see that it was Tuxedo Mask produced them. Sephiroth easily destroys them with his sword, his arm not suffering any injuries, and he asks, slyly, "Do you really think that could stop me?"

Tuxedo Mask retorts, with a grin, "No, distract you." Sephiroth gives a rare surprised look and turns towards Sailor Moon only for him to see her slam him with a **Starburst Stream** attack causing him to loudly grunt in pain as he is hit hard.

Sailor Moon says, with a winch, "Leave and get back to where you belong: In our memories."

Sephiroth says, "As I have told Cloud: I will never be a memory." Sephiroth's black wing appears and wraps around him where he vanishes in a swirl of black feathers.

Sailor Moon stumbles forward and Tuxedo Mask, who gets to her side nearly instantly, asks, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Sailor Moon says, with a nod, "Thanks to you, Tuxedo Mask-kun."

Tuxedo Mask says, with a warm loving smile, "Any time, Meatball Head." On the meanwhile, Naruto and Sakura go over to help Sailor Galaxy where Sakura helps people in trouble while Naruto helps Sailor Galaxy where he starts off by using a **Wind Style: Rasenshuriken** to devasted plenty of the remaining horde of the Swarm that's fighting Sailor Galaxy.

Sailor Galaxy tells Naruto, "Thanks, Naruto-kun."

Naruto responds, "No big, but you have been doing great, Hinata-chan. You really know how to handle your Senshi powers quite well."

Sailor Galaxy says, with a smile, "I had plenty of help from the others in order to learn how to use them correctly and effectively."

After bashing in one of the Swarm, Sakura says, seriously, "Compliment on her talent later! Right now, we have a mass of evil space bugs from an MMO game to deal with!" Naruto and Sailor Galaxy nod their heads as they continue to deal with the Swarm horde while Sailor Celestial, wielding Two-on-One Keyblade, is fighting against Nightmare when her 'danger sense' goes wild.

Sailor Moon yells out, worriedly, "Celestial, behind!" Sailor Celestial then leaps away and dodging a head shot by Shao Khan with his Wrath Hammer.

Shao Khan says, with a sneer, **"I underestimated your power, mortal! No longer! No one makes a fool of Shao Khan!"**

Sailor Celestial says, with a smirk, "Guess that makes me 'nobody', huh? Because I just did that!" Shao Khan gives a roar of anger and power as he prepares to attack Sailor Celestial, but he blocks an attack from Sailor Moon, and she goes back to Sailor Celestial.

Sailor Moon asks Sailor Celestial, "Do you have to piss off the world conquer, Celestial?"

Sailor Celestial says, with a smirk, "We've faced worse." Just then there is a monstrous roar, and everyone looks to see none other than infamous floor bosses for the seventy-fourth and seventy-fifth floors of Aincrad: The Gleam Eyes and The Skull Reaper!

Sailor Moon, Sailor Celestial, and Tuxedo Mask, who has just joined the two Moon Princesses, gasp in shock and Sailor Moon says, horrified, "But how?! Those are…Gleam Eyes and Skull Reaper!"

Sailor Celestial says, annoyed, "Great. I had a feeling that this could happen." Gleam Eyes then leaps up into the sky to bring down its massive halberd right down on the two Moon Princesses and one Earth Prince, but then three 'streaks' seem to come down from the skies, slash through Gleam Eyes multiple times, and Gleam Eyes roars out in pain as it comes crashing down into the concrete ground with a massive 'thud'. Those three 'streaks' then stop to reveal Ryu Hayabusa of the Hayabusa ninja clan and Kasumi and Ayame of the Mugen Tenshin clan.

Tuxedo Mask says, surprised, "You are…!"

Ryu says, "It seems like you are in need of aid."

Sailor Moon says, with a smile, "Thank you for the help, Ryu-sensei."

Ayame asks, plainly, "What's going on here?" However, Shao Khan roars in with his Wrath Hammer, but Sailor Celestial zip in with her Keyblade and when Shao Khan's Wrath Hammer meets Sailor Celestial's Keyblade, the clash of their weapons and their powers causes a massive shockwave in which both sides are sent skidding backwards.

Kasumi says, shocked, "Such power!"

Ryu says, "Just like in the games. He isn't called the 'Conqueror of Worlds' without good reason."

Sailor Celestial says, "Well, he won't be getting this world!"

Sailor Moon tells Tuxedo Mask, "Tuxedo Mask, help Ryu-sensei and the others take care of Gleam Eyes and Skull Reaper!"

Tuxedo Mask asks Sailor Moon, "Are you sure?"

Sailor Moon nods her head and she tell Tuxedo Mask, "Sorry to be a bit selfish."

Tuxedo Mask says, with a plain tone, "I understand." As Tuxedo Mask goes off to help Ryu, Kasumi, and Ayame, Sailor Moon uses her Keyblades against Nightmare while Sailor Celestial continues her battle with Shao Khan.

Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, _"I wish that I could say that I'm glad that big bro isn't mixed up in this, but most likely, he and the others are just as mixed up in this as we are!"_

 _ **November 6, 2025, Unknown location**_

Sailor Celestial doesn't know how right that she is and now, returning to her adoptive big brother/cousin from two lifetimes, the Sailor Scouts, in their Valkyrie Senshi forms, and digivolved Digimon partners of our Digidestined members are fighting against Lui Kang, Kitana, and various other members of the MK universe that were turned into revenants by Quan Chi as well as a horde of NetherRealm demons.

" **Terra Force!** "

" **Metal Wolf Claw!** "

WarGreymon unleashes his massive orange sphere of power that vaporizes a lot of demons while MetalGarurumon unleashes his cold breath that freezes them solid in which Paildramon uses his blasters to shatter them to pieces. With Lui Kang himself, he is fighting against Davis and he is matching the former champion of Mortal Kombat move for move.

Lui Kang yells out, **"You will not deny us! We will gain the power to restore what Raiden has taken from us and get revenge on him for our pain and suffering!"**

Davis says, "Dude, you have a point that lightning dude should have done better, but it doesn't mean that you have to go all villain! That sorcerer asshole is dead!"

Lui Kang responds, angrily, **"Do not talk about things that you nothing about!"** Lui Kang then unleashes a dark red fireball that takes the shape of a skull, but Scorpion comes in and slashes the 'flame skull' dispelling it.

Scorpion says, **"You should take his words to heart, Lui Kang!"**

Lui Kang tells Scorpion, **"Scorpion, you fight for that fool Raiden now?!"**

Scorpion responds, **"I fight for Earth-realm! As you once did, Lui Kang!"**

Lui Kang responds, **"And now, I rule the NetherRealm with Kitana! It was Raiden that cursed us, and Raiden will pay! Once we have the power that's here, the power that exceeds even the Elder Gods and even the One Being that came before them, we will regain the lives stolen from us and have our revenge against Raiden, the Elder Gods, and all that have caused our pain and suffering! To us and all humans! We and the realms will no longer be playthings to them!"**

Scorpion says, **"Your corruption has completely taken you away from your senses! A power beyond the Elder Gods?! Impossible!"**

However, Kazuto, who is with Rika, Keiko, Kotone, and the others of their group without special powers, thinks about what Lui Kang said and he thinks in his mind, _"Does he mean…?"_ Kazuto says, worriedly, "Oh no!"

Kotone asks Kazuto, "What's wrong?"

Kazuto says, "I know what Lui Kang is talking about!"

Plenty of the others look at Kazuto and Rika asks, curiously, "You do?!"

Kazuto says, seriously, "Sugu! They are after my sister!"

There are looks of shock and Sailor Uranus says, in realization, "He's right!"

Sailor Venus says, seriously, "Oh, yeah! Etherion! It is the embodiment of creation itself and all things, living and non-living, were created by it including the divine!"

Kitana says, with an evil sly tone, **"And now, we know our target! Thank you!"**

Sailor Mars slaps herself on the forehead and she screams out, angrily, "And now, you just put another target on Celestial's back!"

Davis says, "Over my dead body!"

Lui Kang responds, **"As you wish!"** Lui Kang unleashes a blood red flame that takes the shape of a skull right at Davis and Scorpion, but Davis counters with golden-red flames in the shape of a dragon that negates both attacks causing both Scorpion and Lui Kang to be shocked.

Davis asks, tauntingly, "What's the matter? Dragon got your tongue?"

Lui Kang yells out, angrily, **"I do not know how you replicate my power, but you will pay for mocking me!"**

Davis says, "Give it your best shot!" Lui Kang and Davis then attack each other, again, but Davis, somehow using Lui Kang's own fighting style, matches him move for move. On the meanwhile, Sailor Star is fighting Kitana using her rapier against Kitana's bladed fans.

Sailor Star says, sternly, "You will not harm our friend!"

Kitana shouts out, **"None shall stand in our way! Especially not you, little girl!"** Sailor Star and Kitana continue to fight with Sailor Star blocking and dodging Kitana's attacks where Sailor Pluto is fighting with Kabal and Sailor Uranus is dodging Striker's bullets due to her super-speed. At one point, Sailor Uranus gets close to Striker, grabs his guns, kicks him away, and crushes Striker's guns into balls of metal with her armored hands.

Tai says, with a snarl, "I hate this!"

Matt tells Tai, "I know that you are worried about Kari and Davis, Tai, but we don't have powers!"

Rika asks, "But why does Strea have her sword skills?" Everyone looks towards Strea, who is fighting NetherRealm fiends with her massive sword and cutting them in two, and Yuuki, who has taken the skies on her wings and fighting the fiends from the skies.

Kazuto thinks in his mind, _"And Yuuki has her wings and abilities from ALO as well. I wonder…"_ Back to the fight, Sailor Star and Kitana are fighting intensely, but then at one point, Sailor Star finds a break in Kitana's guard and she unleashes rapid-fire multiple **Linears** and hitting multiple upon multiple times causing Kitana to scream out as she is sent flying from the last strike!

Lui Kang sees this and he yells out, shocked, **"Kitana!"** Lui Kang dodges an attack from Davis and Lui Kang knocks him down with his aerial kick assault in which he then unleashes dark red fireball in the form of a skull right at Sailor Star.

Seeing this, Kazuto screams out, worriedly, "Asuna, watch out!" However, Sailor Star doesn't see the attack in time, and she yells out as she is hit by the attack in which Kitana takes advantage and slashes one of the unprotected areas of her legs with her bladed fans causing Sailor Star to scream out in pain as she is slashed.

Yui yells out, horrified, "Mommy!"

Kazuto screams out, horrified, "Asuna!"

Sailor Star lands on the ground, hard, and Kitana, looming over her, yells out, **"Pay for you foolish with your life and your soul!"** Kitana prepares to impale Sailor Star in the head with her bladed fans.

Kazuto yells out, strongly, "No!" With a bright glow, Kazuto zooms off while Kitana attacks Sailor Star, who is stunned and unable to defend herself, but her bladed fan is stopped by a familiar sword. When Kitana looks towards the wielder of the blade, it is none other than Kazuto, who now looks like he did in SAO AKA Kirito, the 'Black Swordsman of SAO', with both his Elucidator and Dark Repulser, which is the sword that stopped Kitana's attack.

Regaining her senses, Sailor Star sees this, and she asks, surprised, "Kirito-kun?"

Kazuto yells out, strongly, "Don't you even dare!" Moving like he did in SAO, Kazuto uses his two swords to knock Kitana's bladed fans out of her heads and surprised by this, she hesitates for a moment which proved to be a BIG mistake by giving Kazuto the time that he needed to attack Kitana with **Eclipse** causing Kitana to scream out in pain and agony as the attack rips into her before sending her flying where she bounces across the ground three times before skidding to a stop around seven hundred yards away from Kazuto and Sailor Star.

Lui Kang and Sindel, Kitana's mother and former queen of Edenia, see this and they shout out in unison, horrified, **"NO!"**

Lui Kang shouts out, angrily, **"You will pay for that!"** Lui Kang turns his attention to Kazuto, but he is then impaled in the shoulder by a familiar kunai and chain, however, when Lui Kang looks, he finds that it is Davis that's holding the kunai and chain.

Davis yells out, "Forgetting about someone! And I hope that I don't get copyrighted: GET OVER HERE!" Davis then yanks Lui Kang over to him, bashes him in the face so hard that he slams, head-first, into the ground, and Davis then grabs Lui Kang and throws him into a tree where the sheer force of the impact rips the tree from the ground.

Scorpion goes over to Davis and he says, **"You should question on how you got this ability before you ended up as an unknowing and unwilling pawn of someone else!"**

Davis asks Scorpion, curiously, "What's that supposed to mean?" Scorpion doesn't answer as he returns to fighting and Davis asks, annoyed, "Why do the 'mysterious types' have to be so annoying?" Just then Davis remembers something, and he thinks, _"Hold up! Wasn't there a guy that got the ability to copy the skills and abilities of other warriors because of someone else giving him that power?"_ Just then a massive 'bad feeling' starts to well up in Davis, but he must ignore it for now as the fight is going on in which he transforms into his 'Light Hawk' form and continues to fight. At the same time, Sindel uses her 'sonic screen' to throw Sailors Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter away.

Sailor Jupiter yells out, "Damn! That's just as bad as Sailor Moon's version!"

Sailor Mars says, annoyed, "No kidding!"

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

Back in Akihabara, we find Tuxedo Mask, three Elemental Country shinobi, one Hayabusa ninja, two Mugen Tenshin ninja, and two Sailor Scouts dealing with the chaos in which Sailor Moon sneezes, making her wonder why she just sneezed, but that thought is put aside as she continues to fight the great boss of the Soul Caliber series, Nightmare AKA an 'embodiment' of the fiend sword, Soul Edge.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Unknown location**_

Returning to the others, Sindel turns her attention to Kazuto and she looks angrily at him.

Sindel yells out, angrily, **"You will pay for hurting my daughter!"**

But before she can attack, Sailor Sun's voice booms out, "You are the one that turned her into that, you know!" Sindel turns towards the direction that Sailor Sun's voice came from and Sailor Sun says, strongly, "You are the one that murdered your own daughter in cold blood!"

Sindel shouts out, **"That was Shao Khan's fault! He used me like a puppet and used me to kill my daughter! Quan Chi brought her back to me and now, she is right where she belongs! She is an empress as she should be!"**

Sailor Sun responds, "An empress of the dead!"

Sindel says, **"As you will be, little girl!"** But before Sindel can strike, a powerful mystical arrow strikes her in the face causing a strong explosion and Sindel yells out as she flying to the ground. In the direction where the arrow came from, we find Sailor Orion flying in the skies and looking down at Sindel.

Sailor Orion says, plainly, "You should always remember to check your surroundings." Sailor Sun gives a 'thumbs up' to Sailor Orion, who nods in reply, as they continue to help the others in the battle.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

Once again, in Akiba, Sailor Celestial is clashing with Shao Khan with Sailor Celestial's Keyblade going against Shao Khan's Wrath Hammer with each clash causing significant shockwaves that greatly cracks the ground all around them.

Shao Khan roars out, strongly and angrily, **"I am Shao Khan, conqueror of worlds! I will not be denied by a mere sliver of a mortal girl!"**

Sailor Celestial responds, annoyed, "Don't you ever shut up?!" With a roar of anger, Shao Khan tries to crush Sailor Celestial's head with a powerful blow, but her roars out as a familiar Elucidator sword from Sailor Moon impales his left knee causing him to stumble and get distracted long enough, which is only for a brief second due to the damage being more of annoyance than actual serious pain, to allow Sailor Celestial to focus her energies into her broach, which opens up, where Sailor Celestial unleashes a rainbow beam of energy causing Shao Khan to roar out as he is entrapped in a massive prism-like rainbow crystal.

Naruto's voice booms out, "Nice one, Celestial-chan!" Sailor Celestial looks to see Naruto, Sakura, and Sailor Galaxy come up to her.

Sailor Galaxy asks, "Are you okay?"

Sailor Celestial, breathing heavily, responds, wearily, "Okay…I guess, but he really lives up to his reputation."

Sakura tells Sailor Celestial, "You don't get called 'Conqueror of Worlds' for no reason."

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, "No joke!" On the meanwhile, Tuxedo Mask and the three other ninjas take down both Gleam Eyes and Skull Reaper where they shatter into hundreds of data pixels.

Ryu says, "Good work!"

Tuxedo Mask says, with a nod, "Yes, indeed." But then they hear a massive female grunt and they look to see Sailor Moon fighting against Nightmare and two of them were in a deadly stalemate with each other with one 'wrong move' could mean the end of the other, but then Nightmare's legs are bound by thorny vines causing Nightmare to stumble forward, through not fall down, which would be his undoing because that allowed an opening for Sailor Moon to slash him apart with **Starburst Stream** where Nightmare collapses into a heap of his dark armor and Soul Edge. Sailor Moon, breathing heavily due to exhaustion, barely stays on her feet and Tuxedo Mask leaps over causing him to ask, "Are you all right, Serena?"

Sailor Moon says, with a nod, "I'm…okay. Just worn out."

Sailor Celestial says, plainly, "Don't blame you. You were dealing with the boss of bosses from Soul Caliber."

Sailor Moon says, with a nod, "No kidding." Sailor Moon then asks, "But how are these 'game characters' coming to life? And where are they coming from?"

Ryu says, "Very good questions, Sailor Moon. And I believe that our answers will be appearing soon enough." Ryu then looks in a certain direction and when everyone else does so, they are surprised to see a glowing figure that looks like a young girl with violet hair, yellow eyes, and wearing a dark robe dress.

Sailor Galaxy asks, "Who is that?"

Sailor Celestial says, "I suspect that she is the center of this madness."

Tuxedo Mask asks the figure, "Who are you?"

The female figure responds, in a high female voice, "Just call me Thorn."

Naruto asks, curiously, "Thorn?"

The female figure, Thorn, says, with a giggle, "Personally, I'm amazed that you were able to stop greatest villains from all of these games, but leave to heroes and ninja for you. I was surprised that we had real-life ninja…and Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze and Sakura Haruno in the flesh. And don't say that you are cosplayers, I've seen the anime and read the manga too many times to know the difference between cosplays and people that can produce a real-life **Rasengan**."

Naruto asks, annoyed, "Fine, but what's the big idea of doing what you did?"

Thorn responds, with a shrug, "Just curious. Got my hands on some strange new powers to make fantasy becomes real and I decided to try it out."

Sailor Moon asks, stunned, "By causing mayhem and destruction?"

Thorn replies, with a shrug, "Hey, no one really got hurt. Some buildings and cars and stuff got busted, but no person suffered any major boo-boos you know? And since you did your jobs so well, it was doubly assured!"

Sailor Celestial says, irritated, "Well, let me show you about doing my job when I give you a spanking!"

Thorn says, not intimated, "Ooh, I'm so scared! Well, if you want to 'spank me' for being a bad girl, you are going to have to do it, my way!" Thorn produces a black Real Solid Vision duel disk around her left wrist and inserts a dueling deck inside.

Sailor Galaxy asks, curiously, "A duel?"

Thorn replies, with a sly smile, "Yep. And I'll give you a point. Your other friends are involved, I know where they are, and unless you beat me, they aren't getting out of their situation." Thorn snaps her fingers and an image of what's happening to the others appear in the sky above them.

They give looks of shock and Sailor Celestial says, "Big brother!"

Sailor Moon says, worriedly, "Everyone!"

When plenty of the others glare at Thorn, she says, with a sly smirk, "I think that you know better. If anything happens to me, they may not get out of there and you CAN'T take the risk."

Ryu says, "And most likely, you have a way to get away even if we do."

Thorn says, with a smile, "Well, an adult who is quite smart? Isn't that a surprise? I guess that it had to happen sooner or later."

Thorn snaps her fingers causing the image to vanish and Sailor Moon says, as her duel disk appears around her armored left wrist, "If you need an opponent, I'll be your opponent!"

Tuxedo Mask says, concerned, "Sailor Moon!"

Thorn says, excitedly, "Really? That would be exciting! Dueling against the famous Sailor Moon! Sounds like a blast!" Thorn says, with a grin, "Through dueling against Sailor Celestial might make me more famous if I win."

Sailor Celestial asks, curiously, "Huh?"

Thorn says, "Don't you know. Ever since you appeared back in March of this year, you really made a name for yourself. Plenty of people are saying that you are the best Sailor Scout of all, not Sailor Moon. She is becoming 'old news' and you are getting quite the fanbase."

Sailor Celestial says, nervously, "Oh, great."

Sailor Moon asks Thorn, "Are your 'divide and conquer' tactics done yet?"

Thorn says, "You saw through me so easily? Can't blame a girl for trying. I'm the 'villain' after all. So, do what villains do right? Oh, well. It seems a bit underhanded to me anyway. I was just getting into the villain's role."

Sailor Galaxy whispers to Naruto, "She doesn't seem like your usual villain and I don't think she is lying right now."

Naruto says, with a nod and whisper, "Yeah."

Sakura says, with a whisper, "She seems to be a child that has gotten a new 'toy' and can't help herself." That 'feeling' is felt by the others as everyone, minus Sailor Moon, gets out of the way as Sailor Moon and Thorn activate their duel disks after inserting their decks inside of them causing their decks to get shuffled, the 'energy blades' that contain the Monster and Pendulum Zones to appear, and after their touch screen display 4000 life-points for each duelist, both of them draw five cards from their decks.

"Duel!" Sailor Moon and Thorn say in unison as their duel begins.

Starting Scores:

Sailor Moon: 4000

Thorn: 4000

Thorn says, drawing a card, "I'll start this duel off! My turn! I draw!" Thorn puts one card onto her disk, and she says, "I'll start off with Silent Magician level four!" Just then Silent Magician LV4 (1000/1000) appears on the field in attack mode.

Naruto says, plainly, "That's trouble."

Sakura says, "And something tells me that it is going to get worse."

Thorn says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "Then I activate my Level Up spell card! Now, I can upgrade my level monster to the next level!"

Sailor Celestial asks Sakura, "Do you have to be right, Sakura?"

Sakura says, with a groan, "I wish that I wasn't!"

Thorn says, putting a card from her deck on her disk, "I upgrade level four Silent Magician to level eight!" Silent Magician LV4 then 'grows up' and 'transforms' into Silent Magician LV8 (3500/1000) appears on the field in attack mode. Thorn says, putting one more card into the main slot of her disk, "And then I place one card face-down and call it a turn!"

Sailor Moon says, drawing a card, "My move! I draw!" Sailor Moon says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "I start off with Melody of Awakening Dragon! By discarding one card, I can add two dragons that have three thousand or more attack points and twenty-five hundred or less defense points from my deck to my hand!" Sailor Moon discards a card and two cards come out of her deck.

Thorn asks, confused, "What kind of monsters have that kind of attack and defense points?"

Sailor Moon says, displaying two Blue-Eyes White Dragons (3000/2500 X 2) monster cards, "Do these look familiar? Because I think that they fit the bill!"

Thorn yells out, flabbergasted, "What?! How do you have super-duper legendary cards like that?!"

Sailor Moon says, drawing two cards, "That's for me to know and you to find out! The card that I discarded was a card known as Card of Compensation! When it is sent from my hand to the graveyard, I get to draw two more cards!" Sailor Moon says, putting another card into the main slot of her disk, "Then I play Polymerization!" Sailor Moon discards three cards to her disk's graveyard slot, three Blue-Eyes White Dragons (3000/2500 X 3) appear on the field, and Sailor Moon says, "And now, I combine the THREE Blue-Eyes White Dragons in my hand!" As the three dragons goes into a fusion vortex, Sailor Moon takes a Fusion Monster card from her Extra Deck and she says, putting said Fusion Monster card on her disk, "Meet Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" Out of the fusion vortex, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (4500/3800) appears on the field in attack mode. Sailor Moon says, "Blue-Eyes, destroy her Silent Magician with Neutron Blast!" Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon unleashes its powerful attack that vaporizes Silent Magician LV8 in one vicious attack!

Thorn says, pushing a button on her disk, "Nope! I activate my Defense Draw!" Thorn's face-down card is revealed to be the Defense Draw trap card and Thorn says, "Not only don't I get damaged, but I get an extra card!" A shield protects Thorn from the shockwave caused by the destruction of her monster and when the shield is gone, Thorn draws one card from her deck.

Sailor Moon says, putting three cards into the main slot of her disk, "First, I place three cards face-down!" Sailor Moon says, putting the final card in her hand into the main slot of her disk, "Then I activate Mirage of Nightmare to end my turn!"

Thorn says, drawing a card, "Okay, my turn! I draw!"

Sailor Moon says, drawing four cards from her deck, "And mine, too, due to my Mirage! Thanks to this card, I can draw until I have four cards in my hand during your Standby Phase, but during my next Standby, I need to discard the same number of cards that I drew!" Sailor Moon says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "But I won't with this! I play Emergency Provisions!" Sailor Moon's face-down card is revealed to be the Emergency Provisions Quick-Play spell card and Sailor Moon says, "Thanks to this card, I can get rid of any number of spell and trap cards on my field and I gain a grand for each other! And I choose Mirage of Nightmare!" The 'image' of Mirage of Nightmare continuous spell card vanishes, and Sailor Moon's life-points increase by 1000 more points!

Thorn says, putting one card into the main slot, "Not bad, but I play my Pot of Greed and that means more cards for me!" Thorn draws two cards from her deck, gives a sly smile, and she then displays two Pendulum Monster cards, Edge Imp Cotton Eater (2400/1600) and Fluffal Angel (600/1200), causing her to say, "I take my scale one, Edge Imp Cotton Eater, and scale eight, Fluffal Angel, and set the Pendulum Scale!"

There are gasps of shock and Naruto yells out, stunned, "No way!"

Sailor Celestial asks, flabbergasted, "Pendulum?!" Thorn puts the card on her disk's Pendulum Zones causing her disk's Monster Card Zones to light up with the word 'Pendulum' in rainbow colors while the two monsters appear on the field in two columns of light, one monster per column, with the number 1 below Cotton Eater and number 8 belong Fluffal Angel.

Ryu says, "You shouldn't be so surprised. Ever since you introduced Pendulum, Industrial Illusions and its 'supporting companies' have managed to replicate Pendulum Monsters." Ryu says, with narrowing eyes, "However, they haven't become common among duelists yet, so, it does make one wonder."

Thorn says, "With these, I can summon monsters that are levels two through seven this turn! Swing, pendulum of destiny! Open the gate and bring forth the terror of the forsaken! Pendulum Summon!" Thorn puts two cards on her duel disk, and she says, "Come on out, Edge Imp Sabers and Fluffal Cat!" A circle of light appears on the field, two 'lights' come from the circle, and those 'lights' are revealed to be Edge Imp Sabers (1200/800) and Fluffal Cat (700/300) in attack mode. Thorn says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "Then I play my Fusion Substitute! Now, I can fuse monsters on my field to bring out a Fusion Monster! I fuse Edge Imp Sabers with Fluffal Cat!" Both monsters go into a fusion vortex, Thorn takes out a Fusion Monster card from her Extra Deck, and she says, putting the Fusion Monster card on her disk, "This card will leave you in pieces by clawing you to death! I Fusion Summon Frightfur Tiger in attack mode!" Out of the vortex, Frightfur Tiger (1900/1200) appears on the field in attack mode.

Naruto says, nervously, "Yipe! That's one dangerous stuffed tiger!"

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, "I'll say!"

Thorn says, with a sly grin, "More dangerous that your friends think! My Tiger, when summoned, destroys cards on your field equal to the number of monsters that I fused to bring out my cuddy kitty cat!" Sailor Moon gasps in shock and Thorn says, with a mischievous smile, "And that's two! So, it is time for you to say bye-bye to your naughty dragon with one of your face-down cards!" Frightfur Tiger's scissors then cut down Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon with one Sailor Moon's face-down cards.

Naruto says, shocked, "No way!"

Thorn says, with a grin, "But that's not all! My Tiger also boosts all Frightfur monsters by three hundred points for every Fluffal and Frightfur monster I control even itself!" Frightfur Tiger then goes from 1900/1200 to 2200/1200 and Thorn says, excitedly, "But I'm not done yet! My Cotton Eater's Pendulum Effect boosts all my Fusion Monsters by three hundred and when I bring out a Frightfur Fusion Monster, I get an extra card! Good for me!" Frightfur Tiger then goes from 2200/1200 to 2500/1200 and Thorn draws one card from her deck in which a card comes out of her disk's graveyard slot causing her to say, "Oh, my sweet kitty cat also allows me to return one Polymerization from my graveyard to my hand when he is used for Fusion Summon! And Fusion Substitute counts as Polymerization!" Thorn says, "Next, I activate my Angel's Pendulum Effect! I can revive one Edge Imp or Fluffal monster from my grave, but I can only summon Fusion Monsters from my Extra Deck for the rest of the turn, but that's okay with me! Time for Sabers to cut back onto the scene!" Soon after, Edge Imp Sabers (1200/800) returns to the field in attack mode and Thorn says, putting one card on her disk, "Then I play Fluffal Rabbit!" Fluffal Rabbit (300/1200) appears on the field in attack mode and Thorn says, putting one card into the main slot, "Then I activate my Fusion Substitute again! I use it to fuse Sabers and my cute bunny rabbit together!" Sabers and Rabbit then goes into a fusion vortex, a Fusion Monster card comes out of Thorn's Extra Deck, and she says, putting the Fusion Monster card on her disk, "This is one wolf that's going to gobble you all up! Frightfur Wolf!" Out of the fusion vortex, Frightfur Wolf (2000/1500) appears on the field in attack mode and Thorn says, with a smile, "And thanks to Tiger's ability, they get boosted due to one more Frightfur being on the field. Plus, my Cotton Eater boosts my Wolf even more and I get another card! Good for me!" Frightfur Tiger goes from 2500/1200 to 2800/1200 while Frightfur Wolf going from 2000/1500 to 2900/1500 with Thorn drawing an extra card from her deck.

Sailor Celestial says, "There is no way that Sailor Moon can handle that!"

Thorn says, with a smile, "Yep! Oh, yeah! My sweet doggie can attack any number of times equal to the number of monsters used to summon him, so, he gets two attacks per turn! And thanks to my bunny, I get Sabers or a Fluffal monster back when she is used for a Fusion Summon, but that won't matter in a moment!" A card comes out of the graveyard slot of Thorn's disk and she says, "Okay, my Frightfur monsters, time to put the scare on Sailor Moon!"

As the two Frightfur monsters leap in to the attack, Sailor Moon says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "Wrong! I activate my trap: Negate Attack!" Sailor Moon's final face-down card is revealed to be Negate Attack counter-trap card and Sailor Moon says, "This trap card negates your attack and ends the Battle Phase!" A swirling shield protects Sailor Moon from the attack of the two Frightfur monsters and sends them back to Thorn's field.

Thorn gives a pout, but then gives a shrug of her shoulders causing her to say, "Oh, well!" Thorn then puts two cards into the main slot of her disk, and she says, "I end my turn with two cards face-down."

Current Scores:

Sailor Moon: 5000

Thorn: 4000

Sailor Moon says, drawing a card, "My turn! I draw!" Sailor Moon displays two Pendulum Monster cards, Performapal Odd-Eyes Dissolver (2000/2600) and Odd-Eyes Arc Pendulum Dragon (2700/2000), and she says, "I take scale four, Performapal Odd-Eyes Dissolver and scale eight, Odd-Eyes Arc Pendulum Dragon, and set the Pendulum Scale!"

Thorn says, stunned, "What? I don't believe it!" Sailor Moon puts the two Pendulum Monster cards on her disk's Pendulum Zones causing said monsters to appear in two columns of light, one monster per column, and the number 4 below Odd-Eyes Dissolver with the number 8 below Odd-Eyes Arc Pendulum Dragon.

As a crystal pendulum appears and starts to swing between the two monsters within their columns of light, Sailor Moon says, "With this, I can summon monsters that are levels five through seven this turn! Swing, Pendulum! Draw the arc of light to victory! Pendulum Summon!" Sailor Moon puts two cards on her disk, and she shouts out, "Time for a double threat with Odd-Eyes Persona Dragon and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" A circle of light appears on the field, two 'lights' come from the circle, and those 'lights' are revealed to be Odd-Eyes Persona Dragon (1200/2400) and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (2500/2000) in attack mode. Sailor Moon says, "Odd-Eyes Persona Dragon's ability now activates! When he is special summoned, he targets one monster brought out from the Extra Deck and until the end of the turn, their abilities are negated!" Thorn gives a look of shock and Sailor Moon says, "Frightfur Tiger, now, has the heel!" Odd-Eyes Persona Dragon shoots a beam of energy at Frightfur Tiger causing it to roar out as its abilities are negated causing it to go from 2800/1200 down to 2200/1200 while Frightfur Wolf goes from 2900/1500 to 2300/1500 due to Frightfur Tiger's ability being negated.

Sailor Celestial says, excitedly, "Awesome! She can use Pendulum Dragon to take care of Tiger!"

Tuxedo Mask says, plainly, "So it would seem, Celestial."

Sailor Celestial gives a confused look and Sailor Moon says, "And now, I activate Dissolver's Pendulum Effect! Now, I can summon a Dragon Fusion Monster with monsters in my hand or field! I fuse Persona with Pendulum Dragon!" Odd-Eyes Persona and Pendulum Dragons then goes into a fusion vortex, a Fusion Monster card comes out of Sailor Moon's Extra Deck, and she says, putting it on her disk, "This dragon is going to take you for a spin! I bring out Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon!" Out of the fusion vortex, Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon (2500/3000) appears on the field in attack mode and Sailor Moon says, "When this dragon starts bringing up a storm, it blows one of your monsters in attack mode back to your hand! So, your wolf is brought to heel!"

Thorn says, surprised, "Oh no!" Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon then creates a twister that sends Frightfur Wolf flying, but Thorn says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "I activate my trap: Frightfur March!" Thorn's face-down card is revealed to be the Frightfur March counter-trap card and Thorn says, with a sly grin, "Since you targeted one of my Frightfur monsters with an effect, this card negates your effect and destroys the card that the effect came from!"

Sailor Moon says, seriously, "Wrong! I activate Vortex Dragon's second ability! When you activated an effect, I can return one face-up Pendulum Monster from my Extra Deck back to my deck to negate the effect and destroy the card!" Thorn gives a look of shock as a card comes out of Sailor Moon's Extra Deck in which she displays Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (2500/2000) Pendulum Monster card causing her to say, "I return Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon to my deck to negate your trap!" Sailor Moon puts said card in her deck, her deck is shuffled, and a powerful wind negates Frightfur March as well as destroys it causing Frightful Wolf to turn into a beam of light that goes into Thorn's Extra Deck.

Sakura says, excitedly, "Way to go, girlfriend!"

Sailor Moon says, "Odd-Eyes, attack Frightfur Wolf now!" Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon unleashes another powerful wind storm that slams into Frightfur Tiger, destroying it, and Thorn yelps as she loses 300 life-points as a result. Sailor Moon says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "I end my turn with a card face-down!"

Current Scores:

Sailor Moon: 5000

Thorn: 3700

Thorn says, drawing a card, "It is my turn! I draw!" Thorn says, pushing a button on her disk's touch screen, "I activate my face-down card: Call of the Haunted!" Thorn's other face-down card is revealed to be the Call of the Haunted continuous trap card and Thorn says, "With this guy, I can call my Frightfur Tiger back from the grave!"

Sailor Moon says, as a card come out of her Extra Deck, "Don't count on it! I activate Vortex Dragon's ability! By returning one Pendulum Monster from my Extra Deck to my main deck, I negate your card and destroy!" Sailor Moon returns the card from her Extra Deck to her deck, her deck is shuffled, and Vortex Dragon creates a wind storm that destroys Call of the Haunted continuous trap card.

Thorn says, with a sly grin, "But now, you have no more face-up Pendulum Monsters in your Extra Deck!"

The others give concerned looks and Sailor Celestial says, "I don't like the sound of that."

Thorn says, "I activate the effect of my Fusion Substitute in my grave! By banishing it from my grave, I can return one Fusion Monster to my Extra Deck and then I get an extra card!" Thorn returns Frightfur Tiger (1900/1200) Fusion Monster card from her graveyard back to the Extra Deck slot of her disk and Thorn draws one card in which she then says, "With my set Pendulum Scale, I can summon monsters that are levels two through seven this turn! Swing, pendulum of destiny! Open the gate and bring forth the terror of the forsaken! Pendulum Summon!" Thorn puts two cards on her duel disk, and she says, "It is time for the return of Edge Imp Sabers with his new friend: Fluffal Penguin!" A circle of light appears on the field, two 'lights' come from it, and those lights are Edge Imp Sabers (1200/800) and Fluffal Penguin (1600/1100) appears on the field in attack mode. Thorn says, "Then I activate my Angel's Pendulum Effect! Welcome back, my cute little bunny!" Just then Fluffal Rabbit (300/1200) returns to the field in attack mode and Thorn says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "Then I play Aria from Beyond spell card! This card allows me to play one spell card removed from play and I choose my Fusion Substitute! With it, I fuse Sabers, Penguin, and Rabbit together!" The three said monsters go into a fusion vortex, a Fusion Monster card comes out of Thorn's Extra Deck, and she says, putting it on her disk, "When you see this, you will regret ever playing with dollies! Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary!" Out of the fusion vortex, Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary (2000/3000-2300/3000), a ghoulish little girl doll that's floating in the air with a long white dress, appears on the field in attack mode in which Thorn says, "And thanks to my Cotton Edge, she gains three hundred more attacks points and I get a new card!"

As Thorn draws a card from her deck, Sailor Celestial says, nervously, "Ugh! Makes me not want to see another doll ever again!"

Sakura says, with a nod, "You said it!"

Thorn says, as a card comes out of her graveyard slot, "Oh, thanks to my cute little rabbit! I get an Edge Imp or Fluffal back from my graveyard! But that's not all! Thanks to my cutie penguin, when he is used for a Fusion Summon, I draw two cards and then I discard one card from my deck!" Thorn draws two cards, discards one card, and she says, drawing two cards, "And you should recognize it! It is Card of Compensation! That means two more cards for me! Then Nightmary gains three hundred attack points for every fairy and fiend monster in my grave during my turn! And I have three of them!" Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary then goes from 2300/3000 to 3200/3000 and Thorn says, putting one card on her disk, "But I'm not done yet! I play Fluffal Owl in attack mode now!" Just then Fluffal Owl (1000/1000) appears on the field in attack mode and Thorn says, as a card comes out of her deck, "Thanks to my Owl's ability, I get one Polymerization card from my deck to add to my hand!" Thorn says, "Then by paying five hundred life-points, I can fuse monsters in my hand and on my field to summon a Frightfur Fusion Monster!" Thorn discards one card from her hand, Edge Imp Sabers (1200/800) reappears on the field and Thorn says, slyly, "And now, I can fuse my Sabers, again, with my Owl this time!" As Thorn's life-points drop by 500 points, Sabers and Owl goes into a fusion vortex, a Fusion Monster card comes out of her Extra Deck, and she says, "And now, here comes the deadly fish of the sea: Frightfur Kraken!" Thorn puts the Fusion Monster card on her disk and out of the fusion vortex, Frightfur Kraken (2200/3000-2500/3000), a scary violet kraken doll monster with scythes as the ends of its tentacles, appears on the field in attack mode. Thorn says, drawing a card, "And thanks to Cotton Edge, Kraken gets a boost and I get a new card! Next, Kraken allows me to target one monster and it gets sent to the graveyard!"

There are gasps of shock and Sailor Galaxy says, worriedly, "Oh no!"

Thorn says, with a mischievous grin, "You know what that means! Bye-bye, you mean old lizard!" Just then a massive tsunami swallows Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon and Thorn says, "And since there are two more fairy and fiend monsters in my graveyard, Nightmary gets a power boost!" Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary then goes from 3200/3000 to 3800/3000 due to her ability.

Naruto says, "Oh, man! She is defenseless!"

Sailor Moon says, pushing a button on her disk, "Not for long! I activate my Call of the Haunted!" Sailor Moon's face-down is revealed to be the Call of the Haunted continuous trap card and Sailor Moon says, "I use it to revive Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon!" Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon (2500/3000) returns to the field in attack mode and Sailor Moon says, "Thanks to his ability, one monster in attack mode is returned to your hand!"

A twister forms around Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary, but Thorn says, "You can't use that trick again! I play Nightmary's other effect!" A card comes out of her Extra Deck and she says, displaying Frightfur Wolf (2000/1500) Fusion Monster card, "When you target my Nightmary with a card effect, I remove a Frightfur from my Extra Deck and that effect is negated! Too bad!" The Fusion Monster card vanishes from Thorn's hand and the twister around Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary dispels in which Thorn says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "But your troubles aren't over yet! I activate my Polymerization!" Thorn discards two cards causing Edge Imp Saw (500/1000) and Fluffal Leo (1600/1200) appear on the field, the two monsters go into a fusion vortex, and Thorn says, getting a Fusion Monster card from her Extra Deck, "I fuse Edge Imp Saw with Fluffal Leo and bring out a monster with some claws: Frightfur Leo!" Thorn puts the Fusion Monster card on her disk and out of the fusion vortex, Frightfur Leo (2400/2000-2700/2000) appears on the field in attack mode in which Thorn says, drawing a card, "Cotton Edge is helping my kitty cat and me, yes! And now, Leo can cut your monster down to size by destroying it and you lose life-points equal to its attack points!" Frightfur Leo unleashes saw blades that slash into Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon causing it to roar out as it is destroyed in which the shockwave sends Sailor Moon skidding backwards as she loses 2500 life-points.

Tuxedo Mask asks, concerned, "Are you okay?"

Thorn says, with a smile, "She won't be for long since my Nightmary gains another six hundred points since there are two more fairy and fiend monsters in my grave!" Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary then goes from 3800/3000 to 4400/3000 due to her ability.

Sailor Moon says, as a card comes out of her deck, "I will be thanks to my Arc Pendulum Dragon's Pendulum ability! When an Odd-Eyes monster on my field is destroyed, I can summon another Odd-Eyes from my hand, deck, or graveyard! Give me a hand, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (2500/2000) then returns to the field in defense mode.

Thorn says, "Well, it is time to make that dragon go away!" Nightmary fires a powerful wail that vaporizes Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, but since it was in defense mode, Sailor Moon doesn't lose any life-points in which Thorn says, with a smile, "You are off the hook since both Kraken and Leo used their abilities! That makes them unable to perform direct attacks this turn!" Thorn says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "Then I place this card face-down and call it a turn!" On the meanwhile, Nightmary goes back from 4400/3000 back down to 2300/3000 due to her effect ending.

Current Scores:

Sailor Moon: 2500

Thorn: 3200

Sailor Moon says, drawing a card, "My turn! I draw!" Sailor Moon says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "I activate my Pot of Greed! Now, I draw two cards!" Sailor Moon draws two cards, looks at them, and Sailor Moon says, putting one card into the main slot of her disk, "First, I activate my Re-Fusion equip spell! With this, by dropping eight hundred life-points, I can revive one Fusion Monster from my grave and equip them with this card!" Just then Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (4500/3800) appears on the field as Sailor Moon's life-points drop by eight hundred points!

Thorn says, with a smile, "Won't be enough to stop me!"

Sailor Moon says, putting the last card in her hand into the main slot of her disk, "But this will! I activate my Megamorph equip spell! Since my life-points are less than yours, my Ultimate Dragon's attack points double!" Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon roars out as it goes from 4500/3800 to 9000/3800!

Thorn yells out, shocked, "Oh no!"

Naruto says, excitedly, "Oh, yeah!"

Sakura says, excitedly, "Bring it on home!"

Sailor Moon yells out, "Ultimate Dragon, take out Nightmary and end this duel now! Neutron Blast!" Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon unleashes its attack from its three heads that slam into Dangerous Frightfur Nightmary causing the monster to shriek as she is vaporizes in which the massive explosions send Thorn flying backwards where she screams out as she loses 7000 life-points as well as duel.

Final Scores:

Sailor Moon: 1700

Thorn: 0

With the end of the duel, the final Real Solid Vision 'images' vanish and Thorn slams to the ground on her bottom causing her to grunt out in which she moans out, annoyed, "Oh, man! I lost!" She then starts to glow, and she then says, "Guess you can't win them all!"

Sailor Celestial says, concerned, "Hey!"

Thorn says, "Don't worry about it! Once I'm gone, your friends are going to come back!" Thorn then gives lackluster smiles that the others immediately can see and 'sense' the sadness as Thorn waves good-bye as she is engulfed in a giant flash of light that's so bright that the others close their eyes and yelp as they are engulfed by the light.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Unknown realm**_

Back with the rest of our heroes and heroines, they, allied with Scorpion, are still in a stalemate against the revenant Lui Kang, Kitana, and the other revenant warriors with the numerous hordes of NetherRealm fiends, through their numbers are much significantly diminished, but then a massive light starts to swallow all of them.

Lui Kang shouts out, **"What kind of trick is this?!"**

Davis yells out, "You are asking me?!" Everyone then yells out as they are engulfed by the light forcing them to cover their eyes.

 _ **November 6, 2025, Tokyo, Akihabara**_

Back in Akihabara, as quickly as the light appeared, the light fades away and when Sailor Moon, Sailor Celestial, Tuxedo Mask, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata can look, they find their friends/family/allies, human and Digimon, right in front of them as they start to look around with confused.

Sailor Moon says, surprised, "Everyone!" When the others that were fighting against the revenant Mortal Kombat warriors look towards Sailor Moon, they give looks of surprise.

Sailor Star says, "Sere-I mean, Moon-chan!"

Sailor Mars asks, annoyed, "Where were you?"

Naruto says, pointing all around the area, "Take a look." The others that have just arrived look around to see much of the chaos and destruction around Akihabara causing them to gasp in shock.

Yolei asks, stunned, "What happened here?"

Sailor Galaxy says, "It is a long story. And we believe it involved what happened to you."

Sailor Celestial asks, "Is everyone okay?"

Kotone says, with a nod, "We are."

Sailor Venus says, with a sigh and collapsing to the ground, "Speak for yourself, Kotone!"

Sailor Saturn says, with a smile, "Well, we are alive and we're just fine."

Just then a familiar male voice shouts out, "Hey, boss!" Everyone looks to see Sailor Celestial's two Digimon partners in their Mega forms, ShineGreymon Burst Mode and Dianamon, float down in front of them.

Sailor Celestial asks, "How did it go?"

Dianamon says, "The people got to safety and there are no serious injuries even."

Sakura says, "That's good to know."

Tai says, "Something tells me that you know what happened to us since something happened around here at the same time."

Tuxedo Mask says, with a nod, "Yes, but like Sailor Galaxy said. It is quite a tale. We'll explain as we help clean up this place."

Sailor Galaxy says, looking around, "It seems like Ryu-sama, Kasumi-sama, and Ayame-sama just left."

Sakura says, "Most likely to report what happened back to their clans."

Naruto asks, with a plain tone, "That leads to the question: What the heck did happen?"

Tuxedo Mask thinks in his mind, _"That's a good question, Naruto. And the answer may not be as clear cut or easy of an answer."_ As our heroes and heroines regroup, they don't seem to notice that they are being watched by other shinobi as well as a young woman covered in white veils, who is looking intently at Davis and Sailor Sun.

 _ **Unknown time, Mortal Kombat universe, Earth Realm**_

Within what is known as the home universe of Mortal Kombat, we find Scorpion, returned to his 'human form' of Hanzo Hasashi, walking around the headquarters/home of his Shirai Ryu clan.

One member of the clan says, "Master Hanzo, we were worried…!"

Scorpion/Hanzo responds, in his human voice, "Be at ease. As you can see, I am well." Hanzo then says, "But there is much to do."

The clan member asks, "Master Hanzo?"

Hanzo says, "Prepare a messenger. I need to talk with Lord Raiden or Lord Fujin immediately."

The clan member responds, "Yes, grandmaster." The clan member 'vanishes' in classic shinobi fashion, leaving Hanzo to his thoughts as he thinks of Davis as well as what he heard from our heroes and heroines.

Hanzo thinks in his mind, _"Raiden's aura has grown dark. I fear that purification of the Jinsei has corrupted him. However, right now, I must learn about this 'Etherion'. If it is what I heard, then if it falls into the wrong hands, all existence, not just the realms, will be in danger. And then that young man…his power…there is much to think about."_

 _ **Unknown time, Unknown realm**_

Within an unknown realm, an alternate version of Sammy Tsukino, Sailor Moon's/Serena's younger Earth brother, is sitting crossed legged and he is floating in mid-air through a familiar power known as the Force. This version of Sammy Tsukino, after being betrayed his elder sister and her friends, the Sailor Scouts, due to a 'dark vision' that Sailor Pluto had about him destroying the future, he was sent into what was known as the Star Wars universe where he became the famous/infamous Jedi/Sith known as Revan and, in a self-fulling prophecy, when he became a Sith Lord, he returned to his home planet to bring about that destruction. Right now, this version of Sammy, who will be called Raven, is using his Force 'foresight' to see the events of what just happened with our heroes and heroines and when he is done, he opens his eyes and lands on the ground in which he gets to his feet.

Raven thinks in his mind, _"Something is wrong. Someone is manipulating things and possibly manipulating them through their various past lives. Davis Motomiya, the one of the two 'central timelines of SAO', what we are calling them, isn't known as the 'Star Dragon King' for nothing, but he and his girlfriend have just as much 'dark' as well as 'light'. And someone seems to know this. Someone that even I can't see. I don't like it."_

Just then a male voice says, "He's here." Raven turns to see another version of himself, dressed like the Tenth Doctor of Doctor WHO, walking up with a third version of Sammy Tsukino, but he is dressed like Johnny Cage of Mortal Kombat.

This third Sammy Tsukino, the one with similar 'style' to said movie star fighter from the Mortal Kombat universe, says, "You are the version of me that's bringing us together."

Raven says, with a nod, "Right. And you are a version of me that's the reincarnation of Johnny Cage. The one that comes from what we know as the 'Midway Timeline'."

This Sammy Tsukino responds, "You got it. Pretty shocked when I got my memories of my past self."

Raven asks, "So, who is the reincarnation of Lui Kang and Kitana?"

This Sammy Tsukino, who we will call **Sammy** for simplification sake, responds, pulling down his glasses, "Bro, if you are who I think you are, you already know that answer."

Raven replies, with a nod, "I know. I just thought that I make sure. I also know that you belong to an 'SAO timeline'."

 **Sammy** says, "Don't remind me. Personally, it makes me wonder if my uncle isn't a reincarnation of Shao Khan."

Raven tells **Sammy** , "Right now, I think that you are thanking whatever deities that you worship that he isn't."

 **Sammy** says, "No joke. Sis is already still getting over the fact that Kayaba is the guy that was supposed to hers and Suguha's dad back when they were Moon Princesses in which the three of them with Kirito share A LOT of history together."

Raven says, "Plenty of it may not be good history."

 **Sammy** says, plainly, "No damn kidding."

Raven tells **Sammy** , "Your Celestial is the 'center of attention'."

 **Sammy** says, "Good guess, but then again, you aren't guessing."

Raven says, "Indeed." Raven then hands **Sammy** a tablet and **Sammy** looks at his counterpart in which he takes the tablet causing his eyes to widen in which Raven asks, plainly, "Are you in?"

 **Sammy** retorts, "Dude, is that even a question?"

Raven tells **Sammy** , "I need for you to keep a close eye on your sister and your Meatball Head's 'royal sibling'."

 **Sammy** asks, "They are becoming a 'hot item'?"

Raven says, with a plain tone, "One way of putting it." Raven looks in one direction and when **Sammy** does so, he sees holographic projections of Valkyrie Sailor Moon, Valkyrie Sailor Celestial, Kazuto, and none other than infamous castle that was the virtual location of SAO itself: Aincrad.

 _ **Unknown time, Unknown realm**_

In a second unknown realm, someone else is looking a hologram of said 'death castle' where we see that this figure has violet-blue eyes and dark grey crescent moon sigil on their forehead in which their eyes narrow at the sight of Aincrad itself.

 **The End…for now**

This special one-shot was quite interesting and it was inspired by Memory Defrag, but I thought of my own original story based on that inspiration and my excitement over Mortal Kombat 11 that's going to come out in April. How is going to be linked to ' **Hollow Fragment** timeline'? Who is Thorn? Well, you know that I'm not going to give spoilers away. You are going to have to read to find out! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!


End file.
